The arena was packed to capacity and it was insane that in two days this place will be just as packed as it was today. I paced my dressing room trying to block out the loud chatter from the fans that were coming to see the fight. It's been nearly three months since I was last in a fighting ring. It'll be strange being back in one after having announced my retirement from the UFC.
"Were you able to buy the ticket?" I asked my dad who walked into the dressing room, and he nodded and I sighed in relief making him raise a brow.
"Why?" He asked confused and I chewed on my bottom lip as I rubbed the back of my neck, "I mean you've never been one for concerts so it confused your mother and me when you asked if I could look to see if there were still tickets on sale for the Little Mix concert in two days."
"I made plans with my friends to go to it before I remembered that I had already agreed to do this charity fight," I said and he nodded, "thank you for managing to get one last minute."
We stayed in the dressing room for a few more minutes with him giving me pointers on what to do during the fight, but to be honest, my mind was somewhere else entirely. The door to the room opened revealing one for the event organizers, Jared Jefferson, poking his head in. "It's time."
We nodded and I looked at my dad before we left the room and made our way down the long hall with the rest of my team. I could already hear the screams of the fans as they announced my name.
As I had predicted, the arena was full. There was not a single seat empty. I looked at the pentagon where my opponent was and took a deep breath before letting my trainer take my robe off so I was only left in my shorts. I climbed the steps and entered the cage.
The referee, Michael Buffer, stood in the center of the ring while my opponent and I stood in our corners waiting for him to announce the fight. " Let's Get Ready To Rumble!!!"
And that was all it took for my opponent and me to begin the fight. I blocked all the noise around me and only focused on the fight. I blocked, dodged, and threw punches and kicks at my opponent when I got the chance and hissed when the bastard landed a few of his own. Blood filled my mouth from the cut I gained when he punched me on the cheek when I didn't get a chance to block his blow. I could already feel my left eye swelling from the punch he threw a moment later. My fucking ribs were killed when he kicked me on my side. I stepped back and dodged another blow to the side before throwing a kick of my own that knocked him on his ass. I didn't give him the chance to get back as I pressed my knee on his back before throwing punch after punch. He covered his head but that opened him to getting punched in the sides.
A whistle blew ten seconds after I had him pinned down. I staggered to my feet and stepped away from him giving him time to get to his feet. I was panting as I held my hands in front of my face as I placed my right leg back and left in front. The roar of the viewers went unnoticed by me as my sole focus was on the male before me. He was taller than me by only an inch but had a wider chest and thicker thighs than I did. His muscle wasn't as defined as mine though. He had dark shaggy hair that fell into his eyes. One which was swollen shut from the punch I had delivered within seconds of the fight starting. His nose was at an odd angle as well but that was not my doing.
I roundhouse kicked him on the side but the bastard blocked me before holding onto my leg forcing me to balance on my right leg. I clenched my jaw as the asshole swung a fist into my side and knocked the fucking wind out of me. I sneered before smirking as I twisted and successfully got my leg free from his grip but he didn't get a chance to recover from the shock as I landed a perfect kick to his side that had him staggering back against the walls of the cage.
Punch, kick, punch, kick and repeat.
That's how the fight went.
We each landed perfect blows to each other before my opponent fell backward after I landed a perfect punch to his head and he fell to the floor knocked out.
I was panting and covered in blood by the time the referee called the fight over.
The fight lasted longer than I had expected, but in all honesty, it was the best fight I've had since I began my career in MMA. Each trainer took their time cleaning us before Michael was calling us to the center with him grabbing my hand and lifting it into the air as the announcer claimed me as the winner by knock-out after the third round.
Cheers and applause filled the arena as I was given the belt that proclaimed me the winner of the charity event. I swallowed as I held the belt in the air earning more screams and hollers from the eventgoers. I scanned the arena and my eyes landed on my parents who were beaming with proud smiles as Sol slept, ear muffs on her ears blocking the loud noises.
"That was a great fight," the event coordinator said as I stepped out to do the pentagon and met with my family. We shook hands and after he thanked me for being part of the event, he bid my parents and me farewell before making his way toward my opponent to shake his hand.
"You were great, Ethan," mom said though her smile fell upon seeing my face and how my eye was swollen and my lip was bleeding.
"Let's get you cleaned and back to the hotel so you can rest."
****
The swelling in my eye had down by the time the night of the concert came around. I stood in front of the mirror as I fixed my hair. I wore a pair of black skinny jeans, red Nike high tops, and a red and black Nike short sleeve shirt. I grabbed my jacket from the bed when I deemed myself presentable enough to go out.
"What time will you be back?" Mom asked as I joined her in the kitchen of the penthouse we were renting until our return to the states in two days.
"Not sure," I replied, "I might be home as soon as the concert ends if I don't bump into any of my friends or late if I do."
"Alright," she nodded, "just be sure to be quiet when you do come back as to not wake your sister."
"I will," I promised before giving her and Sol a kiss on the cheek as I saw the time on the clock. The concert will be starting in an hour but if I wanted a good parking space then I should leave now. "Tell dad I'll be back later."
"Will do," she said with a warm smile before I nodded and grabbed my phone, wallet, and keys. I climbed the elevator once I was sure I had everything that I needed and pressed the button for the lobby. I looked at the time on my phone once again as I reached the lobby. 6:45...the concert started at 8 but knowing me, there will be traffic and it'll last a good hour at least for it to disperse.
Fucking hell.
I walked to the parking lot of the hotel and scanned the area before spotting my rented car and walking towards it, unlocking it on the way. I huffed as I climbed into the driver's ear and turned the engine on. I turned on the GSP system on the car and put the arena's direction into the screen before pulling out of the parking lot and right into the oncoming traffic.
7:05 pm. The time on the screen read as I drove down the bush streets of London. The concert began at 8. I still had well under an hour to get there but with this traffic, it seems I won't be making it on time to watch the opening act.
I sighed and reached over and turned the radio on. Instantly a familiar song filtered through the spear let's and recognized it as the song from the band I was going to see. They're incredibly talented so it's no wonder their show was sold out in a matter of minutes since the tickets went on sale. I tapped my fingers on the steering wheel as I was forced to stop as traffic got worse the closer I got to the arena. I don't remember it being this bad when I had my charity fight two days ago. Groaning, I leaned my head down on the headrest and waited.
7:35 pm.
I'd been stuck in traffic for half an hour and it was getting on my nerves. Fucking hell.
I reached for my phone to see that I had received a text from Sam and opened it to see that she had attached a photo of her, Noah, and the others smiling at the camera with the caption you should be here you big oaf and a pissed of the face and I rolled my eyes.
Noah looked broken. Wait what? Since when did I think of him that way? Or better yet, since when did I go to such extreme for someone that I've only known for a few weeks? I sighed knowing full well the reason behind those questions. I was falling for the short boy and that fucking terrified me, not because he was a boy but because I've never felt this way towards anyone, not even my ex.
7:45 pm. Another ten minutes passed before traffic finally cleared and I pressed down on the gas and the engine roared as I sped down the road towards the arena.