But with the Tournament Finals still in sight, things moved.
Time didn't slow down just because of one messy interview that never saw daylight. Damon knew better. The machine kept turning, and if you weren't ready to move with it, you'd get left behind.
Promotions ramped up as the days counted down. Big ads were everywhere, billboards in major cities, commercials running during prime-time sports broadcasts.
Clips of his fights were spliced together with dramatic music, each knockout and submission framed as part of an inevitable rise. His name. His face. His story. All packaged and sold to millions waiting to see the final fight.
There were interviews, too. Press junkets with reporters asking rehearsed questions. None of them dared to go off-script this time. They stuck to the lines they were given, safe, respectful, controlled. Damon kept his answers short but solid. No need to say more than he had to. He'd learned that lesson the hard way.
