First Match - Easy Win

We headed to our division's mats to check the brackets. I made a few quick calculations - Aubrey and I could only meet in the finals.

My stomach tightened at the thought. Should I be relieved or even more determined to make it that far?

Mike soon pulled me into our usual warm-up. My bracket was all-male, and several of my opponents were familiar faces I'd beaten before.

Every now and then, I glanced at Aubrey. She looked more nervous than I was, listening to Laura and Jessica as they coached her through her stretches. I couldn't help admiring her muscular thighs, but forced myself to look away before my imagination got the better of me.

My first opponent was John McMiller, now eighteen and noticeably stronger than when we'd last met two years ago. So was I.

I came out aggressively, controlling the match from the start. Despite John's attempts to defend, I kept him on the back foot, eventually pinning him for three seconds to secure an 11–2 technical knockout before the first round ended.

Exactly as planned. A quick win, minimal wasted energy, and plenty of time to watch the remaining matches.