MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

Edward stepped forward and looked at the training dummy as he tried to copy Damon's famous move.

He faked a knee and then swung his leg up toward the dummy's head to try to do the follow-up kick.

It was awkward, to say the least.

The kick wasn't as smooth and sharp as Damon's move, which was so deadly.

Edward's moves were stiff and not connected at all, so the transition wasn't smooth or seamless.

He also didn't do like what Damon did, and did as if he was putting his foot down.

Damon stifled a laugh, raising a hand to stop Edward before he embarrassed himself further. "Alright, alright, let's pause there," Damon said, walking up to him.

Edward looked sheepish, rubbing the back of his neck. "Bad, huh?"

Damon chuckled, patting Edward on the shoulder. "It's not about being bad, it's about learning. The move looks simple, but it's all about precision, control, and practice."

He turned to the group of trainees, who were all looking at him with big eyes, ready to learn from him.

Damon gestured for their attention. "Alright, listen up this is about making every movement count and flowing seamlessly from one to the next."

He positioned himself in front of the training dummy, demonstrating the proper stance. "First, the knee feint. You want to sell it, make your opponent think you're fully committing to it. If your feint doesn't look convincing, the follow-up won't work."

Damon lifted his leg slightly, his movement smooth and deliberate. "See how I'm not rushing? It's not about speed here, it's about control."

He dropped his leg and immediately transitioned into a head kick, the movement fluid and natural. The sound of his shin connecting with the dummy echoed through the gym, drawing a collective gasp from the group.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Now, the follow-up," Damon continued, lowering his leg back to the mat. "This is where most people mess up. If your body's not balanced after the feint, you won't have the stability or power for the kick. You've gotta be rooted in your stance, ready to pivot at a moment's notice."

Edward crossed his arms, nodding as he watched Damon reset his position. "So, it's all about the setup?"

Damon nodded. "Exactly. The feint sets the trap, but the kick is what closes it. This was drilled into me for months, kicking without breaks, following up one kick with another until it became second nature. It's about muscle memory."

One of the trainees raised a hand, looking nervous. "How do you get that balance? I feel like I'm falling over after the feint."

Damon smiled, stepping toward the trainee. "Good question. It's all about your core and your base. When you feint, keep your core engaged and your planted foot firmly grounded. Watch–"

He demonstrated again, lifting his leg for the feint before smoothly transitioning into the kick. "See how my upper body stays steady? I'm not leaning too far forward or backward. It's all about staying centered."

He turned back to Edward, his tone playful. "Try it again, but this time, don't rush. Focus on the feint, and make sure your stance is solid before you go for the kick."

Edward nodded, stepping up to the dummy.

He took a deep breath, mimicking Damon's stance. Slowly, he feigned the knee, keeping his upper body steady.

Returning his leg back almost planted his foot back, it was shaky, but he managed.

Then, with a bit more confidence, he followed up with a head kick.

The kick connected, not perfectly, but better than before.

Damon grinned, clapping his hands. "That's more like it! See the difference?"

Edward laughed, shaking his head. "Man, this is harder than it looks. How'd you make it look so easy?"

Damon smirked. "Hours, days, and months of practice. And a lot of sore legs."

The trainees chuckled, and Damon gestured for the next one to step forward. "Alright, your turn. Let's see what you've got."

Damon was patient as each trainee took a turn and gave them advice and adjustments.

By the end of the lesson, the group's movements were clearer and more controlled, and they looked more sure of themselves.

Edward clapped Damon on the back, grinning. "Alright, D. You've got me sold. Next time, I'm learning this properly."

Damon laughed, nodding. "You're getting there. Just remember, practice makes perfect. And don't forget to breathe."

All it took for Damon was thousands or more repetitive kicks on a bamboo and punching bag.

Damon and Edward left the trainees to practice, satisfied with their progress for now.

As Damon grabbed a towel to wipe the sweat off his face, Ash walked up from behind him.

"You're a natural at that," Ash said casually.

Damon glanced over his shoulder. "At what? Kicking? Well, it helps that I spent months training with Kru Wichan in Thailand. Barely got a break to breathe, let alone rest."

Ash rolled his eyes, shaking his head. "Nah, I mean teaching. You've got a knack for breaking things down. I guess when you retire, you know what your backup plan is."

Damon laughed, playfully shoving Ash. "Hey, don't curse my career like that! I'll be fighting till I'm a hundred."

Ash smirked, shrugging. "Yeah, yeah. Just saying, if you ever get tired of being a star, the coaching gig's got your name all over it."

Damon shook his head, then turned his attention to Edward, who was stretching nearby. "Alright, Edward. Your turn. Show me something new. Something I can use to knock Calvin Oland out with."

Edward chuckled, walking over. "You think I've got some secret weapon you haven't already learned?"

Damon raised an eyebrow, smirking. "I don't know. Surprise me."

Ash leaned against the cage, crossing his arms. "You're getting cocky, D. Better hope Calvin doesn't catch you slipping."

Damon waved him off, his grin widening. "Confidence, not cockiness, Ash. Now, Edward, let's see what you've got."

Edward stepped onto the mat, cracking his knuckles. "Alright, pay attention. This one's all about timing and precision."

He dropped into a stance, his body loose but controlled. "It's a spinning back kick, but with a little twist. Instead of aiming for the body like most people, you target the thigh. It throws them off balance and sets up for a follow-up strike."

Edward demonstrated, spinning smoothly and connecting the back of his heel with an imaginary opponent's thigh.

The move was quick and efficient, designed to disrupt rather than finish outright.

Damon nodded, impressed. "Alright, I see you. Let me try."

He stood in the same way Edward did, spinning on the ball of his foot and kicking low.

His execution wasn't perfect, the timing was a little off, but it was clear that he got the idea.

Edward nodded, stepping in to adjust Damon's positioning. "Good, but tighten up your spin. Keep your balance centered. It's not about power, it's about precision. Hit them in the right spot, and they'll stumble, even if you don't throw it hard."

After a reset, Damon tried again, but this time he moved more smoothly.

His heel hit the lower part of the training Dummy where the legs would have been, making a loud impact that echoed through the gym.

"Better," Edward said, clapping him on the shoulder. "Now imagine following that up with one of your high kicks. If you disrupt their balance first, they'll never see it coming."

Damon smirked. "Not bad. I could see that working."

Ash, still leaning against the cage, chimed in. "You two nerds done geeking out over kicks? Or are we gonna spend the rest of the day talking about how to trip Calvin?"

Damon glanced at Ash, his grin unwavering. "Jealous you're not part of this masterclass, Ash?"

Ash scoffed, pushing off the cage. "Please. If I wanted to knock Calvin out, I'd just take him down and choke him out. Easy."

Edward laughed, shaking his head. "Stick to wrestling, Ash. Leave the striking to the pros."

Damon chuckled, rolling his shoulders. "Alright, enough talking. Let's put this into practice. Ash, you're up next."

Damon spent the rest of the day getting better at the move Edward had shown him. They worked on the spinning back kick over and over again.

They ended up moving to a punching bag that was made for kicks, so basically a kicking bag.

Damon worked tirelessly, determined to perfect the move.

By the time they decided to wrap up, Damon had managed to get the kick a bit, still he needed large improvements, after all it took a different genius to master a kick in a day.