With Ivan's team riding high off their first win, confidence quickly turned into momentum.
The vibe had shifted. The fighters who had once been quiet were now loud, loose, throwing shade across the mats and hallways.
To them, the tides had turned. One win meant more would follow. And they planned to stack those wins until Damon's team drowned in losses.
Payback season, as one of them joked.
But the energy wasn't playful anymore.
Tension stirred in every shared space, between passing glances at breakfast, subtle shoulder bumps in the hallway, and the barely disguised jabs during warm-ups.
Some comments were loud enough to draw eyes. Others were whispered just close enough to sting.
Nobody wanted to look like they were backing down.
Everyone had something to prove now.
And nobody wanted to be the next one put to sleep on camera.
Team Ivan was growing bolder, and louder.
