บท 157: 157 The Fateful Pursuit: Ye Chen Arrives in Dahan
Of course, Ye Chen was realistic enough not to think he could take down the Black Dragon in a single bout. He understood well that his opponent wasn't even utilizing his full strength. The Black Dragon's primary skill lay in his ability to stand his ground—he was incredibly agile, constantly darting around the cage, making it exceptionally challenging for an average fighter to subdue him.
[Simulation successful, contact is being established.]
[Entering all Adesanya's information.]
[Recording all Adesanya's game records and common tactics.]
Hearing this familiar voice brought a wave of relief over Ye Chen. He felt his practical training had not gone to waste. Most importantly, he learned that his simulation space was also updating its database automatically. For instance, while he could only mimic the tactics and styles of the Black Dragon based on previous matches, the upcoming fight would change that. If, in a few days, the Black Dragon faced Pereira, Ye Chen's simulation space would update accordingly, no matter where he was at the time.
The two of them engaged in real combat practice for nearly fifteen minutes. During this time, Ye Chen allowed the Black Dragon to get the upper hand on several occasions. If he hadn't occasionally let up, the scene might have turned rather one-sided. Soon, the much-anticipated fight against Black Dragon IV Pereira approached. The expectations for this match were sky-high, even though it wasn't as popular as Ye Chen's matches.
However, apart from Ye Chen, this upcoming competition was one of the best-selling bouts in over a year. As was customary, all media outlets were inflating the stakes of this rematch. Despite the popularity of the Black Dragon, opinions online—both from domestic and international audiences—were nearly unanimous: there was hope that Pereira would be the one to finally defeat him.
Having been beaten soundly in previous matches, a 4-0 defeat, for instance, was exactly what boxing fans craved to see. The Black Dragon had participated in a few matches that were dull enough to send viewers to sleep. His previous dominance only fueled the anticipation; many spectators were eagerly awaiting his downfall against Pereira. Interestingly, Ye Chen found himself caught in a similar wave of sentiment, though not to the same extreme degree as the Black Dragon.
Ye Chen had always maintained a full viewing rate in his matches, often ending them with decisive wins. The number of fighters like him in the entire league was limited. Still, he and the Black Dragon shared one crucial similarity—a streak of consecutive victories. In the past, audiences eagerly anticipated who could finally defeat Khabib, placing their hopes on each new challenger. Yet, the reality often turned grim as those challengers would get systematically dismantled inside the cage by Khabib himself, leading to the infamous meme of Khabib: "never lost in the ring and never won in the comments."
On game night, the atmosphere was electric. Ye Chen made it a point to attend and witness the thrilling event firsthand. It was evident that Pereira had poured substantial effort into his Jiu-Jitsu, wrestling, and takedown defense. Shockingly enough, Pereira's wrestling skills proved nearly equal to those of the Black Dragon's. Neither fighter could secure dominance on the ground.
In the end, the fight boiled down to who was superior when standing. The fifth round saw excitement peak when, with over 40 seconds remaining, Pereira landed a knee strike followed by a left-hand hook that sent the Black Dragon crashing to the mat. The unfolding drama mirrored past matches. In the first four rounds, besides a slight dip in the second round, the Black Dragon maintained the advantage, nearly pulling off a victory.
As the match neared its climax, the crowd erupted in disbelief when they witnessed the Black Dragon fall. The atmosphere became electric as he fought with every ounce of determination left in him. He had been pummeled multiple times, pushed to the edge of the cage, yet refused to succumb. But in the end, he couldn't escape the weight of fate.
While many had wished for Pereira to deliver a finishing blow before the game commenced, witnessing the moment the Black Dragon actually fell left the crowd in a conflicted state. A sense of unexpected admiration emerged for the fighter they had once hoped would lose. As the Black Dragon struggled to regain his footing, he rolled and attempted to rise, but the referee had already called the fight as ended. Bewildered, he stood, disoriented, as if he had just awakened from a dream. It was instinctual for him to think the bout would continue until the referee physically held him up.
In that heartbreaking moment, the crowd glimpsed the isolation etched on the Black Dragon's face. He had triumphed against every elite in his weight class, yet this resilient foe, who had already defeated him four times, remained his greatest adversary. The depth of that feeling is something few can truly comprehend.
Ye Chen found himself engulfed in a whirlwind of thoughts. He knew that his day of reckoning might come. He had witnessed the rigorous training regimen the Black Dragon adhered to day in and day out at the elite training center. Life, with all its unpredictability, sometimes dealt blows that no amount of effort could withstand.
"The showman is incredibly formidable," Catwoman remarked, surprised by the outcome. Although she had won her bet this time around, elation was far from her mind. Pereira stood like an unyielding fortress in the ring, while her thoughts were consumed by Ye Chen's upcoming challenges. Though it would be an exaggeration to say she wasn't worried for him, she recognized that she couldn't deter him from pursuing his aspirations. Instead, her commitment was to fully support Ye Chen in any way possible.
After the fight, at the post-match press conference, Dana expressed his astonishment at the spectacular contest. Meanwhile, he took this opportunity to officially announce the awaited matchup between Ye Chen and Chimaev, thrilling boxing fans who hadn't yet recovered from the recent clash between the Black Dragon and Pereira. The promotional machinery rolled into action, generating immense hype in the lead-up to this highly anticipated fight.
Chimaev, although neither party had officially announced the bout, had engaged in some online sparring, maintaining his characteristic bravado. With his usual flair for self-promotion, he declared that he would crush all challengers and expressed unwavering confidence that Ye Chen would fall short against him.
As the countdown began, there was less than a month until the competition. Given the event's location in Asia, the UFC arranged for Ye Chen to travel there in advance to generate buzz. Unfortunately, Catwoman had prior commitments and was unable to accompany him on this trip. Initially, Ye Chen had hoped to return home to see his parents after the bout, but Catwoman promised to rush to him after finishing her work.
Upon landing, Ye Chen immediately checked in with his parents and Catwoman, assuring them of his safe arrival. This time around, Dana was not a part of the entourage, understandably busy with UFC business. Without Dana by his side, Ye Chen relied solely on his own arrangements.
As he exited the airport, Ye Chen was met by a throng of people awaiting his arrival. UFC staff, along with officials from the organizing committee, filled the area. Investment from the organizers for this bout was significant, especially given that with the fighting superstar Ye Chen involved, they were also looking to generate substantial revenue from sponsorships. Thus, their attention was particularly focused on him.
A series of promotional activities had been planned for him. The event was set to be hosted by StarMuseum, a leader among South Korea's top entertainment conglomerates, boasting an impressive roster of artists and idols. The individual greeting Ye Chen was the head of the company's publicity department. Despite Ye Chen donning a mask, a hat, and sunglasses, passersby quickly recognized the figure who was rapidly becoming an icon in both the fighting and entertainment industries.
Curiosity sparked among the crowd as they stopped to observe and attempted to deduce the identity of this enigmatic figure they were witnessing, all of whom were eager to learn just which idol had arrived before them.
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