CHAPTER 778: CHAPTER 778: SPLIT ON THE SCORECARDS

The announcer stood in the middle of the cage, microphone in hand.

The noise from the crowd rose and fell like a wave, each side trying to outcheer the other.

The referee stepped between Theo and Petrov, taking a wrist in each hand.

Both fighters stood still, shoulders rising and falling with heavy breaths, faces marked with sweat and swelling.

The judges’ scorecards were in.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer began, his voice cutting through the arena noise, "after three rounds, we go to the judges’ scorecards for a decision."

Theo kept his eyes forward, jaw clenched. Petrov rolled his shoulders once, staring at the canvas. Damon watched from the corner, arms crossed, his face unreadable.

"Judge number one scores the contest 29–28 for... Arman Petrov!"

The Russian corner erupted in cheers. Ivan slammed a hand against the cage wall. Theo didn’t flinch.

"Judge number two scores the contest 29–28 for... Theo Brunner!"

This time, Damon’s corner shouted, pumping their fists in the air. The tension doubled. One card left.

"And judge number three scores the contest... 29–28..."

The pause felt longer than it should have. The crowd noise dipped into a low rumble, everyone hanging on the final word.

"...for your winner, by split decision—"

The ref yanked Theo’s wrist up into the air.

"—Theo Brunner!"

The crowd exploded, half in celebration, half in protest. Theo exhaled hard, relief showing for the first time all night.

Petrov stepped back, shaking his head, then gave a short nod before turning toward his corner.

Damon climbed into the cage, clapping Theo on the back, saying something into his ear that only he could hear.

The rest of the team came in, clapping Theo on the shoulders and hugging him one by one. Damon kept a hand on the back of Theo’s neck, leaning in so his voice cut through the chaos.

"You stayed disciplined," Damon said. "Didn’t let him drag you into his fight for too long. That’s what won it. But you could’ve pushed harder in round two, you let him control the pace too much there. Round three, though? That’s how you’re supposed to fight."

Theo nodded, still breathing heavy, eyes scanning the crowd.

"You keep building on that," Damon added, "and guys like him won’t even make it close next time."

Theo gave a faint smile, then turned toward the cameras and raised his arms, while Damon stepped aside to let the rest of the team crowd in for the post-fight photo.

Damon was happy. For the first time, he had two proven contenders in the middleweight bracket.

His hopes there now rested on Jose Alvarez and Theo Brunner, two very different fighters, but both capable of going deep in the tournament.

The lightweight division was a different story. Every man in that bracket was his.

No matter who won, someone he’d coached and cornered would move forward, and someone else would be sent home.

It wasn’t a position he liked, but it was the reality of having a stacked roster.

For now, he pushed those thoughts aside. Tonight was Theo’s night, and the middleweight picture had just gotten a lot more interesting.

The show was moving into the semifinals now, the final stretch before the tournament reached its peak.

The air around the arena, the gyms, and even online was thick with anticipation. Every fight from here on out mattered more than the last, and the stakes couldn’t be higher.

And the fans were about to get the fight they had been impatiently waiting for since the show was announced, Damon Cross versus Ivan Novak.

It wasn’t just another matchup. This was the collision everyone had been talking about, the one plastered across headlines and fan forums.

As Damon left the arena and headed back to his hotel, his mind was already shifting to preparation.

He had no interest in the noise or celebrations. His focus was razor-sharp, every thought on how to dismantle his fighters opponents when the cage door closed.

Back at the fighters’ house, however, the mood couldn’t have been more different. The night belonged to celebration.

Theo’s split-decision victory had set the place on fire. Music blasted from the speakers, drinks were passed around, and the fighters let loose after weeks of grinding.

The energy was chaotic. Some danced, others shouted over each other, and laughter bounced off the walls.

The tension of the competition giving way to rare moments of camaraderie.

For now, the house was alive. But in a matter of days, all of it would quiet down. The real fights the ones that would decide who made it to the finals, were coming.

@FightFanatic89

The semifinals are done. All that’s left is the COACHES CHALLENGE and then DAMON vs. IVAN. Let’s goooo! 🔥🔥🔥 #TSF #CrossVsNovak

@EmeraldWarrior

Damon’s fighters have been looking sharp all season. If the Coaches Challenge is physical, my money’s on him. If it’s mental, Ivan might take it. 🤔 #TSF

@MMAQueen101

Forget the finale fights. I just want the Coaches Challenge episode. Those two hate each other so much it’s gonna be gold 😂 #CrossVsNovak

@IronFistMMA

Damon Cross is undefeated. Ivan Novak is a Russian machine. The finale is gonna be insane. #TSFFinale #MMA

@StrikingSamurai

The way Damon corners his fighters is so different from Ivan. One’s calm but direct, the other’s intense and demanding. Can’t wait to see whose style wins in the cage. #CrossVsNovak

@UFCChatter

If the Coaches Challenge is something crazy like obstacle courses + striking targets, I’m putting my house on Damon. The man’s an athlete through and through. #TSF #CrossEra

@LeftHookLarry

Ivan better bring his A-game. Damon’s been on another level since his last fight. #TSFFinale

@RearNakedChat

We’re so close to the coaches finally throwing down. The tension this season has been REAL. #CrossVsNovak

@BJJ4Life

Calling it now: Damon by submission in Round 3. Ivan’s tough, but he hasn’t faced someone with that level of balance in every range. #MMA

@KickboxKing88

I don’t even care about the outcome. Just give me a full 5 rounds of these two beating the hell out of each other. #TSF #CrossVsNovak

@FightNightFever

The coaches challenge is next week. My prediction? Some kind of cardio hell. Let’s see if Novak can hang with Cross’s conditioning. #TSF