The Nigerian charged, throwing wide hooks in a flurry.

Ronny's back touched the cage, his head movement sharp, weaving under the shots.

Two missed, one landed to the body, and Ronny escaped with a stiff right hand counter that snapped Ayo's head back.

The room erupted, teammates slapping the cage, shouting over one another.

Ronny smirked again, spit blood to the floor, and raised his hands.

He tapped Ayo's thigh with another kick, then darted forward with a left-right combination.

Both landed, but as he tried to step off, Ayo cracked him with a counter right that staggered him.

Ronny's legs dipped. His back hit the cage again.

Ayo pressed forward, hammering hooks at the body and head. Ronny shelled up, then slipped out at the last second, circling free.

His breathing was heavier now, chest rising and falling fast.

Ronny steadied himself, threw a teep to the body, then snapped a right hook around the guard. It landed, but Ayo didn't even blink.

He planted his feet, swung a monstrous right over the top, and the glove brushed Ronny's temple, just missing the knockout blow.

Ronny retreated, trying to reset. His nose was bleeding, his cheek swelling, but his eyes were sharp.

He fainted a jab, then spun suddenly, the heel kick rushing toward Ayo's head. It grazed, not clean, but enough to make the cage-side fighters shout.

Ayo laughed. He marched forward again, throwing another shovel hook to the ribs that thudded hard.

Ronny grimaced, stepped back, and answered with a slick straight left that found its mark again.

They both stood tall in the center, exchanging short shots now, jab for jab, hook for hook. The sound of leather echoed, sweat spraying with each impact.

Then the horn sounded.

Both men froze, breathing hard, eyes still locked. Neither turned away first.

The teammates clapped and shouted as the corners rushed in. The fight wasn't over, but the second round had already become a war.

Damon stayed leaned against the post, eyes fixed on the cage as both fighters headed back to their corners.

The crowd was buzzing from the exchange, but he filtered it out. He wasn't watching like a fan, he was calculating.

Ayo had burned energy trying to finish, loading every punch with power, while Ronny had taken the shots with that stubborn chin of his. Damon could already see the cracks forming.

Ayo's shoulders rose a little higher between breaths, and his guard lingered a second too long before resetting.

Ronny, on the other hand, sat down on his stool calm, eyes clear, already nodding at his coach's words.

Damon crossed his arms, the hint of a smirk pulling at his mouth. He knew exactly how the last round would play out.

He trained them both. He knew who thought like a hammer and who thought like a knife. And he knew the finish was coming, this wasn't going to the judges.

Both corners cleared out, leaving only the fighters and the referee in the cage.

Coaches gave their last words as they stepped down from the apron, some shouting encouragement, others clapping to fire their man up.

The arena carried a hum of anticipation, fans rising to their feet knowing it was the final round.

The ref signaled for the seconds to leave, then called both men to get ready.

Ronny wiped his gloves together and bounced on his toes, eyes locked on Ayo across the cage.

Ayo exhaled through his nose, rolled his shoulders once, and raised his guard.

The horn sounded, and both men stepped forward, their corners now just voices in the distance as the last round began.

The referee gave them the nod. "Final round. Fight!"

They stepped forward cautiously, but it didn't take long for the urgency to show. Ronny snapped out a stiff jab, testing the distance.

Ayo blocked it on his forearm and immediately countered with a low calf kick, digging his shin into Ronny's lead leg.

Ronny hissed but didn't back away, he returned with a quick one-two, his right hand cutting through Ayo's guard and snapping his head back slightly.

Ayo smirked, wiped his nose, and came forward with pressure. He fired a sharp hook to the body, then swung high.

Ronny ducked under and circled out, creating space, his chest rising and falling faster now.

The pace was high. Every second mattered. Ronny feinted a level change, drawing Ayo's guard down, then shot a jab upstairs.

Ayo read it, slipped, and drilled a right hand over the top that cracked Ronny on the cheekbone.

Ronny stumbled, catching himself on the fence, but his hands stayed up.

The crowd roared.

Ayo chased him, unloading punches, left, right, left, but Ronny's head movement kept him alive.

He weaved under one hook and answered with a short uppercut that caught Ayo on the chin.

Ayo froze for half a second, blinking, then gritted his teeth and kept pressing.

They clinched against the cage, both throwing short elbows and knees.

Ronny dug his forehead into Ayo's chin, working the body with hooks.

Ayo answered with a slicing elbow that grazed Ronny's temple, opening a small cut. Blood trickled down, but Ronny didn't flinch.

They broke apart, both gasping, both refusing to step back.

Ronny threw a heavy kick to the ribs, and the slap echoed. Ayo grunted but fired back with a right hand that just missed Ronny's jaw.

Ronny's coach shouted from the corner: "Let's go, Ronny! Pressure!"

Ronny nodded, pawed with his jab, then suddenly snapped a left hook that landed clean.

Ayo's knees buckled for a moment, but he stayed upright, firing back a desperate overhand that clipped Ronny's temple. Both men wobbled, both refusing to fall.

Then came the sequence.

Ronny feinted the jab again, dipped his head to the side, and ripped a monstrous right hook. It landed flush.

Ayo's head whipped to the side, his legs giving out as he crumbled to the canvas.

The crowd erupted.

Ronny surged forward, ready to drop the finishing hammerfists, his fists raised in instinct.

But the moment he saw Ayo's eyes roll back and his body limp, he froze. His fists hovered, then he pulled them back.

Instead of raining down shots, he stepped back, chest heaving, his face torn between adrenaline and respect.

The referee rushed in, waving it off.

Ronny turned away, hands raised high as the arena exploded in cheers.

Ayo lay on the canvas, slowly blinking back into consciousness, while medics hurried over