章 168: 168 The Surprising Wolf: Ye Chen Is Deflated
Chimaev found himself caught in a moment of panic, launching himself at Ye Chen without any real preparation or strategy. Ye Chen effortlessly sidestepped the attack, aware of his own advantages in the standing game. He wasn't foolish enough to engage Chimaev in a wrestling match, especially given his evident superiority when it came to striking. When Chimaev missed his initial strike, he quickly scrambled back to his feet, only to see Ye Chen advancing.
With a resounding "boom," Ye Chen unleashed a powerful liver shot that reverberated through the arena. Chimaev, with his head clenched in an iron grip, felt the full force of the punch, which sent shockwaves of pain across his body. The impact was so significant that onlookers could have mistaken it for a rib fracture delivered by Ye Chen's fist. The blow clearly affected Chimaev's composure; his reaction led Ye Chen to seize the moment, delivering a heavy uppercut with his backhand. Unfortunately, while the punch aimed to connect solidly, it was deflected by Chimaev's left arm and only grazed the right side of his face. Nevertheless, the strike caused Chimaev's head to jerk sharply, disorienting him further.
In the commentary booth, DC exclaimed, "That was an incredible punch! You can tell that Ye Chen has invested a lot of time studying Chimaev's techniques; he clearly understands his fighting style very well. That liver shot made Chimaev visibly uncomfortable." Logan chimed in, "If Chimaev hopes to defeat Ye Chen, he'll need to take the fight to the ground. In a standing contest, even seasoned veterans are struggling against Ye Chen's skills. He seems to anticipate and evade attacks effortlessly, which is incredibly frustrating for opponents. It's hard to tell if this is sheer luck or a result of his fast reflexes."
Bisping added, "Chimaev really needs to regain his composure and guard against Ye Chen's low sweeps. Rushing in like that, even with his quick takedown attempts, simply isn't going to work against a top-tier opponent like Ye Chen. The three commentators shared the sentiment that Chimaev's instinct to grapple was misguided and perhaps a bit hasty."
As Chimaev stood up, he launched a rapid succession of three front-hand punches followed by a backhand uppercut. Although it was evident Jonmayev didn't match Ye Chen's prowess, there had been notable improvement compared to Chimaev's performance against Burns. Even when rushed, his punches carried sufficient power and increased accuracy, clearly demonstrating his enhanced arsenal. Ye Chen successfully dodged and blocked two of the strikes. However, one punch still landed squarely above his ear. Chimaev's most lethal backhand hook was narrowly avoided by Ye Chen, who returned fire with a straight punch that caught Chimaev off-guard. It was a pivotal moment, as Chimaev now sported a gash across his right cheek, blood beginning to flow and mar his face.
As Ye Chen's straight punch connected, Chimaev found himself pushed back. The crowd erupted in astonishment, having witnessed Chimaev's explosive start now falter against Ye Chen's calculated responses. Domestic viewers were equally anxious—relieved to see Chimaev momentarily stunned by Ye Chen. Comments flooded in:
"The wolf pup is still a beginner in standing fights; I was dominating even when standing!"
"How inexperienced are you? Didn't you see Chen get rattled at first?!"
"I'm not swaying; it was all a dodge. Just wait for the replay if you don't believe me!"
"Chen is incredibly impressive, his striking skills are next-level. That liver shot reminded me of Tyson in his prime!"
"His movements are so well-coordinated; it's like he has springs on his feet—so quick!"
"I hope after defeating this opponent, Chen goes into boxing. There's already talk online about cross-promotional matches."
"C'mon, after he handles this guy, can we agree Chen is not ready for Pereira? There's a massive skill gap!"
"You all act like Chen has already won, but remember, Chimaev has yet to be defeated. Chen must remain cautious!"
In the corner of the arena, Chimaev's coach shouted, "Hamza, keep your cool! Don't let your emotions dictate your behavior!" Frustration echoed in his voice. After Chimaev faced consecutive setbacks, he appeared to have lost sight of his game plan, blindly seeking to overpower Ye Chen up close. But Ye Chen's straight punch had quelled much of Chimaev's fury, forcing him to retreat a few steps.
However, Ye Chen was relentless, closing in with a swift slide and launching another hard strike to Chimaev's midsection. With the memory of the initial liver shot still fresh, Chimaev instinctively lowered his arm to block, but this left him exposed. Ye Chen took advantage of the opening, delivering a powerful jab that landed flush on Chimaev's face, causing blood to flow from his nose and stagger him further.
"Keep that head moving!" shouted Chimaev's head coach, his frustration evident as he wished he could jump into the ring to jolt Chimaev back to reality. At this crucial juncture, Ye Chen pressed forward, maintaining the momentum. It's often the case in combat sports that after a successful strike, fighters will repeat the same technique, exploiting the other's evident lack of defense to compound the damage.
With a firm strike aimed at Chimaev's body, Ye Chen found yet another opening. Yet, as he prepared to reconnect with his backhand, Chimaev had adjusted his stance—using footwork to evade the blow, thereby escaping further damage. Quickly, Chimaev managed to wipe the blood from his face and began using feints while taunting Ye Chen, perhaps buoyed by the resolve to turn the tide.
The lesson from his previous fight against Burns had not been lost on him; since their encounter, Chimaev had evidently worked on improving his ability to respond swiftly in the ring. Realizing this traditional approach wasn't yielding results, Ye Chen returned to his earlier strategy, opting for low strikes to surprise Chimaev.
With a sweeping low kick, Ye Chen connected solidly once again. Chimaev immediately countered with a series of jabs—a one-two combo designed not for brute force but rather for speed and precision.
"Bang!" The force of the punches landed on Ye Chen, and while they lacked the heavy weight of earlier strikes, they struck with enough impact to rattle his defenses, leaving him momentarily stunned and causing him to retreat a few steps.
The audience gasped as the momentum shifted. Ye Chen had dominated for much of the match; now, with Chimaev's rapid-fire approach, excitement surged through the crowd. They witnessed a visible change in Chimaev, who seemed to gain newfound confidence from his striking exchange, and he surged forward, ready to capitalize on the apparent opportunity.
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