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With my leg out from under him, I wrap it around his waist, grab his arm, and roll him over with force. And since he didn’t see that coming, he lands flat on his back, giving me time to pop up to my feet.
“Time!”
I look down at Luca on his back as he stares up at me, and a smile forms on his lips.
Who would have thought that he would want to fight on the ground and I would want us standing. What a shift from where we started.
“Nice,” Max nods, hanging his fingers on the cage and smiling at us. “I’d say we’re ready.”
I smile back at him and nod. With just one week until Dallas, and this spar being our last until then, I’m feeling good about it. Usually I don’t like the week leading up to a fight, when workouts become lighter, the sparring stops, and it’s not enough to keep me focused and calm. But this time, I don’t care. Because knowing I’m not sitting this one out is all I need to keep me focused and content.
“Alright.” Max opens the cage door so Luca and I can exit. “Luca, I want you to continue drilling takedowns from standing this week. Rojas is excellent at evading takedowns, and since you want him on the ground, fucking get him there.”
“Aye aye, Cap’n.” Luca salutes him as he exits the cage and hops down the steps.
“And Ty,” Max says to me as I exit as well. “Light drills with Del this week to focus on footwork. Make sure everything is tight.”
“Got it,” I nod.
Max gives me a nod back, then turns to everyone as they gather their towels and water bottles, getting ready to head out for the day. We’ve all had a chance to spar today, and we all went hard.
“Ok, everyone knows what to do this week,” Max says. “You have one week. Train smart, start cutting your weight, and get plenty of sleep. Get out of here.”
Seb growls as he turns towards the locker room. “I’m already hungry.”
“I know,” Luca agrees as he wipes a towel over his face. “I think I had a dream about pizza last night. Or no, maybe it was tacos. I don’t know. Either way, it was fucking delicious in dreamland.”
Seb groans. “Tell me more.”
I start to follow them to the locker room, internally rolling my eyes at this ridiculous conversation, when Max’s hand lands on my shoulder to stop me.
And my heart drops as I turn to face him.
No… There’s no way he’s pulling me. I did it. It’s one week out, and I’m 100%. And he just told me what I need to drill for this week…
His face breaks out in a huge smile. “I had no doubts.”
A breath of laughter escapes me as relief flushes through my entire body. “I mean… you kinda did.”
Max shakes his head with a little laugh. “Nah. I knew you’d make it. And as hard as it was to have that conversation with you, I also knew it was the push you needed. It’s my job as your coach to do that, while also looking out for your safety.”
I nod as a feeling of gratitude overwhelms me. “Thank you.”
He nods back at me, squeezing my shoulder before he turns to head to his office.
And as I make my way towards the locker room and happy voices of my teammates, I smile.
I got this.
“Now boarding flight three-three-six-one, non-stop to Dallas.”
As we all make our way into the line up, I shift my backpack on my shoulder and peer out the window at the airplane we’re about to board.
And I hate to admit, even just to myself, that I feel nervous.
Not about the fight. I’m so fucking ready for that. But because I’m about to get on an airplane for the first time in my life.
“I’m so hungry I could eat Ty’s ass.”
