The Battle of Jayden
After Ashe's match ended, it was my turn to fight. I stood up from my seat, feeling the tension in the air. I knew my opponent wouldn’t be easy. Next up was Daisuke, a Judoka from Sangre High known for his unusual strength and grappling discipline. This would not be an easy match.
“Jayden, are you sure about this?” Bryan asked as he approached me. “Daisuke is no joke. From what I’ve seen of his fights, he can take anyone down in an instant.”
I smiled slightly, even though I felt nervous inside. “I know, Bryan. But I’m not going to give up easily. I’m here to prove I can face anyone.”
I glanced at Ashe, who had just won her fight. “You can do this, Jayden,” she said. “Just be careful of his moves, especially when you get close.”
I took a deep breath and walked to the center of the arena. I focused on my opponent, Daisuke. He had a large physique, seemingly heavier than I was, but I wouldn’t let his size intimidate me. Speed and technique were more important.
“Ready...” shouted the referee. I felt the weight of every second before the fight began.
“Fight!”
In an instant, Daisuke attacked. He quickly closed the distance, trying to grab me to start the grappling. I dodged and employed Jeet Kune Do footwork to maintain space between us.
I could see he was slower compared to me. This was my advantage. I quickly unleashed a fast jab. “Whap!” It connected with his shoulder, but it seemed to have little effect on him. He swiftly attempted a sudden takedown, now more aggressively, but I managed to slide back to avoid it. 
“Ugh,” I said to myself. Daisuke had strong momentum, and I knew that just one wrong move could lead to my downfall.
As he continued to press forward, I tried to alter my strategy. I used feints, making it look like I would throw a punch, but avoiding direct attacks. I knew I had to make Daisuke passive, to create doubt with every move I made. I noticed he was hesitating. I attacked again with a quick straight punch to his stomach. “Bham!” He slightly recoiled, but it wasn’t enough to take him down.
When I gained some space, I quickly backed away to avoid his reach. Daisuke was clever, and even though I knew he was still assessing me, I was aware that he would soon try to end the match.
In a split second, Daisuke grabbed my left arm, seemingly maneuvering me to the ground with his grappling technique. I felt the strength of his grip. This was unlike anyone I had faced before. I immediately used my right arm to break free from his hold, but his reaction was too quick. He pulled me down, and I felt my balance slipping.
“Now or never,” I told myself. I executed a Jeet Kune Do move, a straight blast. Before he could fully bring me down, I unleashed a flurry of punches, targeting his chest and shoulders. “Bham! Bham! Bham!” My punches landed in quick succession, and I felt him loosen his grip.
Seeing his control fading, I quickly rolled away. I stood up immediately, and before he could recover, I delivered a powerful roundhouse kick. “Wham!” It struck his left side, and I heard Daisuke grunt, clearly stunned by the hit.
I focused on my next move. I could see in Daisuke’s eyes that he wasn’t finished yet. He rose slightly, but I could tell he was slowing down. He attacked again, but he wasn’t as fast as before. I seized the moment. I used my Jeet Kune Do footwork to evade his grappling and continued attacking with strong strikes. 
With each punch and kick I delivered, I felt Daisuke gradually yielding. He could no longer concentrate on his grappling, and slowly, he was losing control of the match. I once again launched a powerful hook to his face. “Bham!” It landed solidly, and I could see him stagger.
When Daisuke attempted another takedown, I anticipated it. With all my strength, I unleashed an uppercut. “Wham!” It connected directly with his jaw, and he fell to the ground. He didn’t get back up.
The referee raised my hand as a sign of my victory. I felt pain in my arms and legs, but more than that, I felt the joy of winning. Bryan and Ashe stood from the sidelines and approached me.
“You were amazing, Jayden!” Ashe said, patting me on the shoulder.
“I wouldn’t have succeeded without your advice,” I replied, a smile on my lips.
I knew my first match was over, but I felt that the challenges ahead in the tournament would be even tougher.