MMA System: I Will Be Pound For Pound Goat - Chapter 479

Chapter 479: Chapter 479: Terms and Consequences
Damon Cross, Victor, and Tommy Hughes entered the meeting room, met with the stern faces of officials, tournament organizers, and PR executives. The energy in the room was controlled but tense.

Victor, as always, remained calm and professional. He had been through countless negotiations, handled media storms, and brokered deals far more significant than this. He wasn’t here to argue, but to assess the situation and secure the best outcome.

Tommy, on the other hand, looked like he was ready to explode. He was the old-school, no-nonsense type, and to him, this entire situation felt like political bullshit.

Damon sat back, composed, but fully engaged. This wasn’t a joke to him, nor was he here to plead his case. He was here to see what they wanted and decide whether it was worth entertaining.

The head organizer leaned forward, sliding a document across the table.

“Mr. Cross, Mr. Steele, Mr. Hughes, thank you for coming. We’ll get straight to it. After reviewing last night’s incident, we’ve reached a decision.”

Victor nodded. “Let’s hear it.”

The organizer continued. “First, there will be a fine of $50,000 for misconduct.”

Damon didn’t react. Expected.

“Second, a formal warning regarding future behavior in the tournament.”

Again, expected.

“Lastly, Mr. Cross will be required to do a controlled sit-down interview before the finals. The interview will address last night’s incident and allow him to clarify his stance.”

Damon tilted his head slightly. “Clarify my stance?”

The PR executive leaned in. “Yes. You have a lot of support, Mr. Cross, but this situation has created divisions. Some see you as a competitor who simply reacted to hostility, but others feel you intentionally incited conflict. We need you to take control of the narrative before it escalates further.”

Tommy scoffed. “Ah, so this isn’t about discipline. It’s about PR.”

The PR executive didn’t flinch. “This is about ensuring the tournament isn’t overshadowed by unnecessary controversy.”

Victor, still calm, folded his hands on the table. “The fine is fair.”

Damon raised an eyebrow.

Victor continued. “Damon knew what he was doing. He played with fire, and now he’s getting burned. That’s part of the game.”

Tommy gritted his teeth. “Victor—”

Victor held up a hand. “That being said—” he turned his gaze to the PR team— “if you think we’re walking into a pre-packaged, scripted apology tour, then you clearly don’t understand who you’re dealing with.”

Damon smirked.

The head organizer exhaled sharply. “We don’t need a scripted apology.”

Victor raised an eyebrow. “Then what do you need?”

The PR executive adjusted her papers. “A statement that de-escalates the situation. Something that acknowledges the incident without further antagonizing the fanbase.”

Damon leaned forward. “In other words, you want me to sit there and take the blame while you all pat yourselves on the back for ‘fixing’ the problem.”

The PR executive held his gaze. “We want professionalism.”

Damon chuckled.

Victor, ever the businessman, took control. “Damon will do the interview, under conditions.”

The room stilled.

The head organizer hesitated. “What conditions?”

Victor leaned back. “We approve the interviewer. We approve the questions. And we will remove any question that attempts to bait Damon into another headline.”

The PR team exchanged glances.

“That’s not—”

Victor cut in smoothly. “That’s non-negotiable.”

Damon smirked. “You get your interview. But if you try to turn it into a public execution, we walk.”

The head organizer exhaled. “Fine.”

Victor nodded. “Then we’re done here.”

Damon stood up. “Pleasure doing business.”

And just like that, the meeting ended.

While Damon and his team were escorted safely from the venue, ensuring no further incidents, the media landscape ignited like wildfire.

Unlike the initial controversy, where Damon had faced overwhelming backlash and was supported only by his dedicated fanbase, certain fighters, and hardcore MMA fans, this time, things were different.

Now, praise flooded in from unexpected places. Analysts, fighters, and even casual fans began acknowledging Damon’s ability to handle pressure, stay composed, and, in their eyes, outplay the system.

Some mocked the fan who threw the chair, calling him an idiot for throwing his life away over a fight.

Memes circulated, highlighting the pure stupidity of getting arrested just to make a statement against a man who wouldn’t even remember your name.

One Chirper post summed it up perfectly:

> “Imagine catching charges just to miss the rest of the event while Damon is out here getting PAID.”

For the first time in this saga, Damon wasn’t the villain, he was the one people were defending.

And that?

That made things very interesting.

Chirper Posts on Damon’s Apology Incident

@MMAInsider

> “Damon Cross is pure gold. The man turned an apology into the most iconic moment of the tournament. Marketing genius or just doesn’t give a f***? Either way, it worked.”

@FightTalkHQ

> “Bro… that dude really threw a chair thinking he’d be a hero 💀💀💀 Meanwhile, Damon walked out with a fat paycheck from sponsors and shit. Who really took the L?”

@MMARealists

> “Imagine being the fan who’s now banned, possibly arrested, just for Damon to laugh at you and walk away richer. LMAO. Casuals stay losing.”

@TheFightCorner

> “People were calling Damon ‘shook’ for accepting the apology deal. Now he’s got the biggest moment of the tournament AND made the officials look dumb. Masterclass.”

@NotAnNPC

> “Damon Cross really said ‘I apologize… that y’all are p****es’ and walked off 💀😭 Iconic.”

@RealMMAFans

> “Love him or hate him, Damon Cross is the most must-watch fighter in this tournament. When’s the last time a middleweight made this much noise?”

@InternetDetective

> “That fan really thought he was about to be a folk hero. Bro, we don’t even know your name 💀.”

@TheGoatDebate

> “Damon is single-handedly carrying the hype for this event. Tell me I’m wrong.”

Instead of seeing it as a terrible incident, most people found it hilarious. Whether they were English fans or from elsewhere, the reaction wasn’t outrage, it was amusement.

Damon Cross had turned what was supposed to be a humbling moment into a viral spectacle, and fans were eating it up.

Of course, there were always the usual snowflakes, but they were drowned out by the overwhelming majority who either laughed at the situation or praised Damon for his audacity.

The outrage brigade tried to stir something up, but it barely registered.

And deep down, the tournament officials, despite their earlier concerns, were all giddy. They wouldn’t admit it publicly, but this was exactly what they needed. The event had been making waves, but now? Now, it was a cultural moment.

It was amazing how crowd reactions could dictate the entire narrative. One minute, officials were considering punishments.

The next, they were reveling in the unintended marketing goldmine Damon had handed them.