Chapitre 95: 95 Rookies Pecking Each Other? Incredible Points
The opposing coaching team was on edge.
What on earth is happening? Didn't you enjoy standing up the last time?
The opposing head coach locked eyes on Ye Chen from across the cage.
**A…**
It must be the strategy devised by this kid.
He's constantly observing.
Since the bell rang, Ye Chen has taken charge.
He was yelling, "Loosen your grip, raise your legs and ride, keep your body close to him."
This step was executed quickly.
In an instant, he lifted his legs and successfully hooked Rhodes' legs before the latter could react.
The entire audience erupted in cheers.
After all, they knew it had been less than fifteen seconds since the match began.
Whether seated or standing, the spectators loved a good show.
That kind of tentative testing felt lackluster to them.
They craved action, the clash of bodies and the thrill of battle.
"Ye Chen, Ye Chen, Ye Chen..."
Many in the crowd assumed this was Ye Chen's strategy for Gazi.
He had been featured prominently in various camera shots, directing Gazi's movements.
This was outrageous—though the contestants were not named, the crowd chanted Ye Chen's name.
Ye Chen felt an odd kinship with Makhachev and Xiaoying. Everyone seemed to rally behind Xiaoying back then, even after he became a champion.
Gazi managed to secure a riding position from the side.
However, Rhodes began with sufficient strength and nearly tossed Gazi off before he had a chance to stabilize himself on top.
Ye Chen shouted, "Stay on him, use your weight to keep him down! Don't rush with your legs!"
When Gazi heard the command, he quickly lay flat on Rhodes.
At that moment, Rhodes was sprawled across the ring, and Gazi was firmly on his chest.
Fearing punches, Rhodes had trapped Gazi's arms tightly with his own.
In this precarious positioning, Gazi was locked into a strong defensive stance.
Head Coach Rhodes yelled, "Nice job! Keep your '807' defense up top, don't let him land any punches, and don't let him escape from that position!"
Gazi continued to lay on top, resting his head against Rhode's chin.
He tried earnestly to extract an arm but before he could strike, it was snatched back and pinned under his side.
Ye Chen shouted in his mind, "Kneel and shift him over."
Doss, astonished by the instruction, thought this tactic was incredibly aggressive and energy-consuming.
Despite his surprise, he translated Ye Chen's strategy to the head coach.
A glimmer of understanding sparked in the head coach's eyes.
That's clever.
Gazi trusted Ye Chen without hesitation. He placed his hands under the opponent's armpits and knelt, slowly shifting Rhodes aside.
At that moment, Ye Chen felt separated from the action between Gazi and Rhodes.
"Now, break apart and hit him in the abdomen and the head."
"You can also try to pin him against the cage and press his head down to disrupt his breathing..."
With their heads aligned, Gazi could look up at Ye Chen for instructions.
Gazi pulled out an arm again, landing a punch to Rhode's abdomen before switching to strike from the side.
This time, Rhodes didn't catch his arm.
Gazi felt a rush of triumph, thinking, "Ye Chen knows what he's doing."
Motivated, he leaned forward, pressing Rhodes' head against the cage.
He glanced up at Ye Chen, eager for the next command.
Suddenly, Rhodes retaliated with a familiar elbow strike.
Ye Chen yelled, "Brother Liang, don't give him an opening!"
"Stand on both feet and lift his waist. Take away his leverage!"
At that moment, Rhodes' legs had tightly locked around Gazi's waist.
If Gazi stood, Rhodes would be lifted as well.
Gazi complied swiftly.
Ye Chen encouraged, "Now smash your fists into him, hit as hard as you can!"
There was no need for Ye Chen to repeat himself.
Once Gazi lifted Rhodes, he realized it would be tough to strike with his opponent hanging like that.
The fist could land, but its power would be minimal when lifted almost upside down.
Unless Rhodes was foolish enough to believe he could win this round against a dominant Gazi, he wouldn't dare to throw punches.
"Bang."
Gazi's punches landed with great force.
He scored a clean shot to Rhodes' face, making his nose bleed.
Instinctively, Rhodes shielded his face with his hands.
"DE, DE, DE..."
Gazi unleashed a barrage of punches.
Pinned against the cage, Rhodes had nowhere to escape, leaving him at the mercy of Gazi's onslaught.
Unless he reacted swiftly enough to capture Gazi's arm and transition to a triangle choke, he had little hope of defense.
But clearly, he lacked the ability for such a submission.
Moments passed...
Rhodes had endured over a dozen punches.
Twenty high-impact blows later, Gazi began to tire. Ye Chen instructed, "When you feel spent, drop and rest for a bit, and use short punches to keep him occupied."
Gazi was indeed fatigued. He bent slightly, bearing more than half of Rhodes' weight while maintaining his guard.
If this were any other scenario, he might have risked conserving energy, but competition demanded more.
Rhodes' face was now covered in blood, his nose swollen, and his expression etched with pain.
Gazi loosened his grip and swung away. To be fair, he couldn't assert much control over Rhodes' head with his arms locked.
The crowd roared.
Each punch Gazi delivered elicited louder reactions from the audience.
Particularly from those who'd witnessed their earlier matchup, where many believed Gazi should have claimed victory.
Now, he appeared transformed, mounting a savage assault against Rhodes.
Less than a minute into this round, and Rhodes was already bruised and battered.
What an exhilarating experience!
Coach Rhodes shouted, "Daniel, lock your hands behind his back and don't let him rise!"
Ye Chen discerned the uproar, shouting, "Brother Liang, keep the pressure and attack with short jabs!"
Rhodes felt confusion creeping in, his mental state fraying.
The match had shifted from fairly even to a direct beatdown.
There were critics throughout the day claiming he had unjustly snatched victory from Gazi.
Is that the case now?
Taking advantage of Gazi's momentarily exhaustion, Rhodes attempted to grab him from behind.
However, he met resistance; Gazi's hands were free, and his head was fully exposed to relentless strikes.
Though less powerful than earlier punches, they were relentless, and Rhodes could only endure before hastily retreating to shield himself.
Gazi took a brief respite, around thirty seconds passed.
He pulled Rhodes up again, using the same technique as before.
Just as Gazi began to lift, he sent an elbow into Rhodes' midsection, kneeling back once again.
The elbow strike caused Rhodes to grunt, and he tried to encircle Gazi's neck for defense while lying down.
Nonetheless, Gazi overpowered him once more.
And just like that, they were back in it.
Head Coach Rhodes commanded, "Rhodes, kick your legs and hips to create distance, don't let him land any punches!"
He felt desperate.
What was this match becoming?
Despite his dizzied state, Rhodes pushed through with the strategy he had been given.
He released Gazi with his legs, delivering kicks to Gazi's waist as an attempt to regain control of the distance.
This was indeed a prime moment to attempt crossing his legs.
However, Ye Chen intervened.
He didn't want Gazi to make any risky moves too soon.
"Brother Liang, try to land a punch, then step back to give him space to get up, making him believe he can rise. When he stands, drive him back to the cage."
Crossing the legs during the opponent's butterfly defense was risky as it opened up the chance for a strike to the face, potentially leading to defeat.
Furthermore, a failed leg crossing could grant the opponent the upper hand instead.
Pushing back would be a more straightforward approach to handle Rhode's weakened state.
Gazi trusted Ye Chen fully; there was no room for doubt at this crucial moment.
He threw a punch, but was kicked away by Rhodes before he connected and retreated a couple of steps, creating distance.
Seeing this, Rhodes shot up without a second thought, fully aware he couldn't match Gazi on the ground.
As he stood against the cage, Gazi rapidly charged, pinning him down before he could regain his footing.
Now, Rhodes was kneeling against the cage, but this position had its benefits.
Ye Chen yelled, "Control his outside leg and hook it!"
There was no need for further explanation; Gazi was no novice.
He executed the hook, flattening Rhodes' leg under him.
At that moment, Gazi was seated on Rhodes' lap, applying immense pressure and maintaining proximity to the cage.
Coach Rhodes shouted in frustration, "Get your legs out! Don't let him punch!"
Rhodes felt panic creeping in.
He wanted to break free, but the situation felt increasingly dire.
Feeling trapped, he struggled to make any movement; the upper body was pinned with no leverage.
With sweat and determination, he focused on controlling Gazi's outside hand to prevent any further punches from breaking through.
As Gazi readied to strike again, his fist was caught.
In that moment of chaos, Ye Chen guided him, "Use your other hand to seek the rear-naked choke!"
This created a dilemma for Rhodes: should he defend against the punch or the choke?
If he focused solely on guarding against punches, he'd soon find himself in a chokehold.
If he committed to the choke, he would give Gazi the space to throw damaging punches.
The atmosphere escalated into a wild frenzy.
Rhodes defended against the choke with one arm, yet the other was preoccupied trying to shield his head, while an unrelenting assault from Gazi continued.
The more he got hit, the worse his condition deteriorated.
Gazi's weight pressed down on him, draining his strength significantly.
With every passing second, the odds of his rising became increasingly slim.
Of course, anyone skilled on the ground could find a way to escape.
Unfortunately for Rhodes, Gazi was exceptionally gifted at utilizing this positioning to his advantage.
Time swiftly ticked away...
Beep.
The first round concluded.
Cheers erupted, and thunderous applause filled the arena.
The audience was buzzing with excitement, having thoroughly enjoyed the intensity of Gazi's performance.
Rhodes, by contrast, was covered in blood, with notable swelling and visible bruises plastered across his face.
Soon after, the scoring referee announced the outcomes from the first round.
Gazi:
- Head blows: 56
- Body blows: 16
- TD (Takedown): 1
- Control time: 4 minutes and 53 seconds
Total effective hits: 72.
Rhodes:
- Head blows: 1
- Body blows: 0
- TD: 0
- Control time: 0
Total effective hits: 1.
The stark contrast in these statistics was almost laughable.
Even someone blind could tell the winner.
As soon as the numbers lit up on the big screen, an audible gasp filled the crowd.
At this moment, Rhodes could barely stand, feeling lightweight and dizzy.
His stamina had drained significantly, and he staggeringly made his way to his designated corner.
"This is amazing! Truly amazing!"
On the sidelines, Gazi was brimming with confidence, barely needing to take a step.
He joyfully raised his arms as he interacted with the cage net.
The audience's enthusiasm was palpable.
Commentator No. 1 exclaimed, "This is brilliant! Ye Chen's tactics are perfectly tailored to thwart Rhodes. I wonder how the scoring referees will react in the next round. If it replicates the first, Rhodes will likely collapse under pressure."
Commentator No. 2 added, "Brother Chen has an astute eye for strategy. Initially, I thought he was merely mirroring Qima's tactics, but now it bears resemblance. Brother Liang's performance is impressive; his punches will gain lasting recognition from fans."
[Let's not bring up the Dog King here. As Brother Chen's die-hard fan, are you suggesting that he's copying Gou Jiao's moves?]
[When Brother Chen made an appearance in Brother Liang's live stream, I felt certain the game was settled!]
[Absolutely! I was surprised by the aggression displayed. Is Rhodes on the verge of collapsing?]
[From the crowd's enthusiasm, it's clear this Gazi is riding a high.]
[If he performs like this in the second round, he'll certainly sunken Rhodes again.]
[Rhodes is a joke; he shouldn't even have made it to a second match. He should have lost at once!]
[Without Ye Chen, could we have witnessed such a thrilling revenge battle? He should simply destroy him!]
Amid the corners, Ye Chen handed Gazi a bottle of water.
Gazi grabbed Ye Chen's hand, exhilarated, "That fight was thrilling! Thank goodness you chose this strategy; otherwise, we might've been stuck standing still for ten rounds. His wingspan and boxing skills are impressive, and I might not have won without this plan."
Doss wiped sweat from Gazi's brow, "You were fantastic! Did you catch the audience response? It's all about hype or violence! You're bound to gain plenty of fans after this fight."
Ye Chen cautioned, "Hold your excitement! You can use the same strategy from the first round in the second round..."
Gazi nodded, determination in his eyes. "Definitely! Just keep striking like this; he's making this look easy!"
Ye Chen replied, "There's a more efficient strategy: feint, dive in, and follow with a swing to achieve a KO. That tactic is more exhilarating. Given his current state, even a minor Mistake shouldn't lead to significant consequences. Focus on turning this fight into a showcase for you; winning or losing takes a backseat, understood?"
Experienced insights informed this advice.
Had he not approached his match against Li Zhengyong with explosiveness, it was likely Inner and Rogan wouldn't have signed him then.
UFC recognized his potential, and Ye Chen seized each moment presented to him.
Gazi, Doss, and the head coach listened attentively.
The head coach intervened, "But Gazi hasn't practiced this tactic before. I'm concerned..."
His worries weren't unfounded.
Inside the ring, every successful strike took rigorous training, allowing physical responses to become second nature.
With muscle memory deeply ingrained, everything executed in practice becomes instinctual.
If only they had more time...
The reason behind Gazi's earlier feints was rooted in consistent practice.
He had engaged far more than Ye Chen in executing strategies.
Gazi had never rehearsed this new tactic, and attempting it under pressure might alter his rhythm entirely.
In this arena, Ye Chen's role had shifted to that of head coach, but ultimately Gazi bore the responsibility for his choices.
"Allow Gazi to choose—whether to play it safe or go for a risky strike," Ye Chen concluded.
Unexpectedly, Gazi made his choice swiftly, "I'll follow what Ye Chen suggested; I want to try."
As he committed, Gazi began mentally rehearsing a combo consisting of the feint, dive, and clipping back with a vigorous swing.
On the other side, Rhodes felt discouraged and out of breath.
His head coach urged him, "Daniel, focus on me... Stay calm, you haven't lost; there's still more to come."
Rhodes grimaced, "His strategy caught me off-guard! I wasn't prepared to take falls. What should I do, Coach?"
When an athlete in the ring speaks such words, it demonstrates an imminent collapse in mentality, having been battered into submission.
The coach could only sigh internally.
They were outmatched; they had calculated every angle but hadn't anticipated Ye Chen's emergence.
Had any forewarning existed prior, they might have adjusted their game plan accordingly.
The coach offered encouragement, "Maintain your distance and endure. He exerted energy in that first round; you still have a shot. If he keeps dropping, capitalize on it and disrupt their flow!"
Beep.
The second round commenced…
État de l’alimentation hebdomadaire
-- Classement
Power Stone 
-- Power
stone