Yu Jung-ak was sleeping on a mattress laid out in the hallway. Not many organizations provide individual waiting rooms for all mixed martial arts fighters.
Yu Jung-ak was fighting in the main card but was a substitute fighter with little international recognition. The organizers wouldn't provide him with a private waiting room.
Screened by a folding partition, Yu Jung-ak slept. The main fight was in the evening, and he had little to do until then.
Yu Jung-ak exercised quickly after Angela's match and took a nap. He planned to wake up about four hours before the match to warm up and adjust his condition.
For athletes undergoing rigorous training, naps are essential.
Yu Jung-ak naps even during regular training.
He sleeps for as short as 30 minutes or as long as over an hour. Mixed martial arts is a high-intensity sport, so without rest, injuries are likely.
Rest is necessary not just to build muscle, but also to prevent bodily harm.
Yu Jung-ak put on headphones, played classical music softly, and got ample sleep.
Even after waking, he didn't get up immediately but imagined the match situation with his eyes closed.
He practiced image training, incorporating Yukimura's image from the weigh-in. Image training is very helpful during actual matches.
Chopin's Ballade No. 1 was playing through the headphones.
Chopin, whom he had listened to often since childhood.
Because Cho Yong-hee liked classical music, Yu Jung-ak naturally encountered it frequently. Now Yu Jung-ak prefers rock or pop, but nothing beats classical music for calming pre-match excitement.
Chopin's Ballades, in particular, start lyrically and build to a brilliantly intense climax.
That's why Yu Jung-ak liked this piece.
After listening to Ballade No. 1 to the end, Yu Jung-ak rose from the mat. Without standing fully, he went straight into stretching.
He did a stretch lifting his upper body while prone, then lifted his legs below the knees in the same position.
This position puts a lot of strain on the abdominal muscles, so it's often used for ab exercises. Of course, Yu Jung-ak no longer feels stimulated by such exercises.
"You're up?"
The organizers set up barricades for fighters resting on mattresses in the hallway. It's like a folding screen, and staff waited outside while Yu Jung-ak slept. Now Oh Jung-ryong was sitting in a chair, talking on the phone.
"Where did everyone go?"
"They went to eat with Angela."
"Her parents came too, right?"
"They were very happy. They said they want to treat you to a meal to thank you."
"No need. It's nothing."
"Hey, you should eat something too."
"Did you eat?"
"I haven't eaten either."
"We have what we brought. Let's eat that. I brought plenty."
"Fruit won't be enough. There's still plenty of time before the match, so let's eat some proper food. I'll go buy some."
"It's fine. I need to warm up anyway. I'll just go to the store up front. Whatever."
"Let's go together."
"I'm not a kid, I can go to the convenience store alone. I'll take my smartphone, so don't worry. Finish your call, it looked like you were talking to your girlfriend. You should get married too."
Yu Jung-ak grinned.
Oh Jung-ryong lightly slapped Yu Jung-ak's behind. Yu Jung-ak smiled and slowly jogged around the arena towards the convenience store inside.
After about 30 minutes of quick running, he started to sweat a little. He wasn't wearing his match outfit yet.
He was wearing a sweat suit, so he was sweating quite well.
Yu Jung-ak bought water and a boxed meal at the convenience store. He only bought for Oh Jung-ryong and ate the food he had brought for himself.
Mostly fruits and vegetables.
After eating slowly, Cho Yong-il and Yoon Chang-seon returned. They said Angela would stay with her parents and watch the match.
"It's your turn now. Don't let your guard down and defend thoroughly. No need to rush."
"Yes!"
Yu Jung-ak looked fully charged.
Finally, the first main card match was about to begin.
Overseas matches often aren't broadcast domestically. Without domestic broadcasting, there's naturally no commentary.
Entering the arena, Yu Jung-ak realized he was in completely foreign territory. The cheers when he appeared were on a different level from when Yukimura appeared.
The audience was certain Yukimura Daisuke would win. Although Yu Jung-ak was a promising fighter, he was from a weight class below.
Moreover, he was a newcomer with only 4 fights under his belt.
On the other hand, Yukimura was a veteran with 30 fights in the welterweight division.
Even a bookmaker would bet on Yukimura. Of course, someone with a discerning eye would bet on Yu Jung-ak.
Yu Jung-ak had a shield that could block Yukimura's main weapon. But apart from Team Silence members, no one really knew about Yu Jung-ak's wrestling skills.
No one knew how grueling it could be when Yu Jung-ak decided to grapple.
This was because Yu Jung-ak had relied solely on striking in all his previous matches.
After the ring announcer's flamboyant introduction, the first main card match began.
Yukimura lowered his stance and started pressuring Yu Jung-ak.
Yukimura had also watched Yu Jung-ak's matches.
He knew how sharp Yu Jung-ak's jab was. Yu Jung-ak's jab skills were good enough to be considered first-class for a boxer.
That's why people only knew Yu Jung-ak as a striker.
His jab skills and defense were that good.
Yu Jung-ak slightly extended his left hand for a feint. Yukimura was extremely tense and focused.
He was wary of Yu Jung-ak's long reach.
Even though Yu Jung-ak didn't fully extend his jab, Yukimura was shaking his head.
'Did he come fully prepared?'
Yu Jung-ak recalled Angela's match. Angela who had baited her opponent and caught her with a triangle choke.
Yu Jung-ak thought he should take advantage of Yukimura's excessive wariness of his left hand.
Thwack!
Feinting with his left hand, he threw a low right kick.
Aiming for the thigh could result in a kick catch.
It wasn't a powerful low kick, so Yukimura didn't react much. Then came Yukimura's attempt at a clinch.
Yu Jung-ak mixed backsteps and sidesteps to block Yukimura's approach.
Then another jab!
As Yukimura approached slightly, Yu Jung-ak's sharp jab landed.
Thud!
The jab came in a trajectory similar to a flicker jab. Yukimura shook his head to lightly dodge Yu Jung-ak's jab. The jab grazed his ear, but Yukimura paid no attention.
Yu Jung-ak shook his left hand as if to throw another jab while maintaining distance.
However, this was a fake move.
What Yu Jung-ak was really aiming for was a left side kick.
From the jab position, he could execute a side kick by just slightly lifting his left foot. This was possible because MMA fighters typically stand with their body slightly turned to the side.
Thwack!
Yu Jung-ak's side kick connected squarely with Yukimura's chin as he was ducking his head slightly to come in. This is the fearsome aspect of kicks.
Front kicks and side kicks can always connect even against a guard because they come from below, rising upwards.
People don't lose consciousness when hit by attacks they can see. But when struck from a blind spot, they can black out without realizing it.
This happens because they can't perceive how they were hit.
When hit by such an attack, people momentarily lose consciousness regardless of their toughness. This applies even to fighters who black out from front kicks.
Cases where there's no major damage, but consciousness is lost.
Often, by the time they regain consciousness, the fight is already over.
The kick Yu Jung-ak used now couldn't be considered a proper side kick. It was a motion of slightly lifting his leg from his original stance and kicking.
It was better viewed as a variation of a side kick, and didn't have full power behind it.
However, for Yukimura who was coming in with his head slightly lowered, there couldn't have been a more troublesome attack.
Even though it wasn't a powerful kick, Yukimura fell forward. This was because it connected precisely with his chin.
Yu Jung-ak had raised his leg thinking Yukimura might be timing his entry, and it worked out perfectly.
Yukimura, momentarily unconscious, reflexively grabbed Yu Jung-ak's leg, and Yu Jung-ak rained down merciless pounding from above.
Grabbing the opponent's leg while unconscious is a characteristic wrestler's move.
Yu Jung-ak's ruthless pounding fell on Yukimura who had grabbed his leg.
Yukimura regained consciousness while taking the pounding. He then pushed Yu Jung-ak back. As Yu Jung-ak was being pushed back, he spun his body around and moved to Yukimura's back.
Yu Jung-ak took the back position.
Clinging like a cicada, he pummeled Yukimura.
Thud! Thud!
Unable to strike the back of the head, Yu Jung-ak delivered merciless pounding to the side of the face.
Silence suddenly fell over the arena.
The Japanese audience watched this scene in a daze.
Was this as shocking as the match between the once-unknown Cheon Je-hee and the superstar Yamato Kid?
The triumphant Yamato Kid fell after taking a picture-perfect counter from Cheon Je-hee, an unknown substitute fighter from Korea.
The female announcer commentating at that time even shed tears, and that scene was broadcast across Japan.
Now, Rising was also being broadcast nationwide in Japan.
Yukimura, who had been trying to rise after guarding his side face in a turtle position, no longer responded.
Thud, thud, thud!
The sounds went out directly through the arena microphones. Although it was a welterweight match, the fight day weight easily exceeded 80kg.
This was by no means a light weight, so the power of the pounding was considerable.
Yukimura's face swung back and forth with each heavy blow.
Finally, the referee called a stop. Yu Jung-ak ceased his pounding and raised his hands high.
55 seconds into the first round.
TKO by ground and pound.
Yu Jung-ak's first welterweight match ended in a frighteningly short time.
Applause started somewhere in the quiet arena.
The Japanese audience began to react.
The applause spread and soon turned into cheers for Yu Jung-ak. This might have been a counter worthy of MMA history.
A side kick counter.
While successful side kicks were common, ending a fight with one was a first for Yu Jung-ak. The commentators gave excited commentary.
Yu Jung-ak's team entered the octagon.
Yu Jung-ak first approached Yukimura, who had regained consciousness. Yukimura and Yu Jung-ak shook hands and greeted each other.
It was a moment when Yu Jung-ak's name was etched into the Japanese stage.