MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat

After an easy ride, they finally got to where they were going.

He got out of the SUV and took a moment to stretch his legs and enjoy the view.

Bangkok was a crazy mix of tall buildings, busy streets, and bright lights, but this place had a different vibe.

The busy city seemed far away, and a calm mood took its place.

The air felt cleaner because trees were all around the area and swaying slowly in the wind.

It made Damon smile to see how nature felt different from the cities and architectures.

"Where are we?" he asked, slinging his bag over his shoulder as he stepped onto the gravel driveway.

With a simple step, Nok got out of the car, her bag slung over her shoulder. "This is Por Pramuk Gym," she said, gesturing toward the buildings ahead.

He looked around the gym with his eyes. The facilities weren't as nice as the ones he had trained in back home.

The structures had a raw, authentic vibe, tin roofs, wooden beams, and outdoor areas shaded by tall trees.

A touch of modern elements could be seen in the updated equipment and clean layout, but it was clear this place was steeped in tradition.

"Por Pramuk…" Damon said it again, making sure he could say it. He knew enough about Muay Thai to recognize the name. This was a place with history.

Nok smiled, catching the recognition in his tone. "Yep. It's one of the best places to learn Muay Thai. You'll be training with fighters who live and breathe it. If you want to push your limits, this is where it happens."

Damon looked around, taking in the sights of fighters in the distance.

Some were hitting pads with sharp, rhythmic strikes; others were shadowboxing, their movements fluid and precise.

The sound of groans and hard kicks hitting bags could be heard.

He smiled, feeling very excited. "I think I'm gonna like it here."

Nok chuckled, giving him a small nudge on the shoulder. "Good. You better. Because once you step in, there's no going easy."

Damon nodded, his grin widening. He wasn't looking for easy.

Damon glanced at Nok as they walked toward the gym. "You seem pretty familiar with the fighting scene," he remarked, narrowing his eyes slightly in curiosity.

It took Nok a while to answer. Instead, she smiled with a jokey look in her eyes and kept walking forward. "So," she asked over her shoulder, "do you know any Thai? Even a little? Or nothing at all?"

Damon sighed, catching up to her. "Nothing," he admitted, shaking his head. "Languages aren't really my thing. I speak English, and I know a bit of Irish… well, more like I used to. My Irish is trash now, though. Dropped out of school before I even got to middle school."

Nok raised an eyebrow at that, her smirk softening into an amused smile. "Well, looks like you're in for a learning experience on all fronts."

Damon chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "Guess so. Got any tips?"

"Yeah," she said, glancing back at him with a teasing look. "Listen, don't talk too much, and if you're lost, just smile and nod. Works every time."

With his interest aroused, Damon followed Nok inside. Moments after he walked through the door, he heard rhythmic "ha's".

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"Huh! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Each sharp cry was followed by a thunderous bang that reverberated through the walls.

It wasn't sporadic, either; it came in rapid, terrifying succession.

Damon stopped in his tracks, his eyes narrowing as he tried to process the intensity of the sound.

It didn't take long for him to figure it out. Kicks.

Those weren't punches landing on the pads or the bags. No, the power behind each strike was too immense, the echo too sharp.

The sheer speed at which they were thrown made it almost impossible to believe.

Damon couldn't help but smile, though there was a trace of unease in it. He'd trained in Muay Thai, but this was something else.

The sound alone was enough to send a shiver down his spine, and he wasn't the type to scare easily.

Damon caught glimpses of athletes working hard as they went deeper into the gym.

One person was kicking a big bag over and over again, and his shin hit the leather like a steel bat.

Another pair was sparring in the ring, their movements precise and deadly, each kick and elbow thrown with surgical accuracy.

Damon muttered under his breath, "Looks like I'm in for it."

Damon's eyes locked on the man delivering those thunderous kicks, each strike sending ripples through the heavy bag.

The man was relentless, his shin snapping against the bag like a whip, over and over again.

Around him, a small group of fighters and trainers stood in quiet admiration, their focus entirely on his form, his power, his precision.

Damon's jaw tightened as he absorbed the sight.

He had trained under Kru Somchai, and he already held a deep respect for the art of Muay Thai.

But this... this was different. This was raw, unfiltered intensity.

The man's kicks weren't just powerful, they were calculated, precise, like a machine finely tuned for destruction.

"Wow…" Damon muttered to himself, his voice barely audible over the rhythmic impacts.

Shortly after feeling inadequate for a moment, he felt admiration. Though

Damon already knew he was skilled, seeing this man made him realize there were more levels to it. Not just training, this was mastery.

Nok leaned in slightly, noticing his awe. "That's Kru Wichan," she whispered, her tone filled with reverence. "He's one of the legends here. Used to be a Lumpinee champion back in his prime. People come from all over just to watch him train."

Damon nodded silently, his respect growing by the second.

He made fists with his hands at his sides, not out of anger.

It was out of determination.

If this was the standard here, then he had come to the right place.

The man finally stopped, the bag swaying from the sheer force of his last kick. He turned slightly, his sharp eyes scanning the room before landing on Damon.

For a brief moment, their gazes met, and Damon straightened his posture, giving the man a respectful nod.

Kru Wichan returned the nod with a faint smirk, acknowledging Damon's presence before turning back to the bag.

The crowd around him dispersed slightly, murmuring among themselves about the spectacle they'd just witnessed.