Damon drove himself back to the hotel, the sky already starting to dim. The road was quiet, smooth, and empty enough to let his thoughts drift.
He kept one hand on the wheel while the other rested on his lap. His body was tired, but his mind was sharp, still going over the day.
He couldn't help but smile a little.
The fighters had shown up. They trained hard, followed instructions, and didn't give him any drama.
That was a win in itself. Coming into this, he hadn't known what to expect.
He figured there would be a mix, different styles, different attitudes, and different mindsets. That part didn't surprise him.
What had stuck with him more was the fact that some of these guys were older than him.
A few of them had been fighting for years, maybe even longer than he had been in the game professionally.
Some had more life experience, longer amateur records, more traditional training backgrounds.
And yet here he was, coaching them.
That thought stayed with him.