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The door to the small room at the convention hotel opens and Jax in full Mohawk ht, you’re on deck"

John finishes with the wraps and slips his hands into the practice pads "It’s time to warm up"

The official pulls the cap off a black ns his naal, and one step closer to the cage

After practicing with gloves, my hands feel nad and vulnerable John holds up the pads and I widen nore the nerves, I blow out air I could kid myself and say this is all for Haley, but this is also for me

John stands in front of me and I’m flanked by Jax and Kaden Behind the door to the hotel convention center, I sport hand wraps, a cup and a pair of wrestling shorts I swing ins to build ina real MMA announcer, the aht and city

Jax pops his head to the right and opens the door as my name is called "Let’s do this"

The crowd screams and whistles when I hit the floor and stalk toward the octagon cage in the middle I notice everyone, yet I notice no one All of it is flashes of color and h the speakers, and, in a lare at Jax and he’s s like a damn hyena "Sorry, couldn’t help it You scream Rocky" He sla to need it in there"

John and the ref exchange a feords before the reftheht out ton ite a cup and that my nails are trimmed and that the wraps haven’t been tampered with

When I’m cleared, John steps in front of me and offers mywhile he applies a coat of Vaseline onis clear or coherent John looks lances at Jax and I don’t miss the subtle shake of his head

"Good luck and Godspeed," says John

I walk up the three steps and enter the cage Nervous adrenaline courses in my veins and I continue to workMatt stands on the opposite side of the cage with his back toward me

The ref calls Matt over and the son of a bitch smiles when he sees ht back "Fuck you"

"Guess we both fked Haley, huh?"

A surge of anger rushes through me and I roll forward on the balls of my feet The ref slaot the rules?"