Connor didn't care anymore and ran away when he saw Ye Chen. He even looked back and smiled. It's worth noting that he's quite talented. After a solid beating, he decided it would be better to treat this as an entertainment match. His shift in mindset was remarkably smooth. After all, when Dana initially scheduled the fight, he assured Connor that even if he lost, it wouldn't be too embarrassing. Everyone recognized that Ye Chen had championship potential, so it was acceptable for a veteran to fall to such a rising star.
Earlier, he'd felt a little embarrassed after taking a beating. Now, however, he figured things out. He began walking in circles around Ye Chen, waving to the audience and shouting enthusiastically. "It's almost time," Ye Chen suddenly dispelled his slow demeanor and pursued him like a ferocious beast.
"Wooo..." the entire audience gasped, feeling the tension in the air. Upon closer inspection, they saw Ye Chen chasing Connor. Could it be that Connor continued to laugh and provoke Ye Chen? Logan exclaimed, "I'm shocked. What is Ye Chen doing? Has he been irritated by Connor's antics?" DC responded, "He might want to finish Connor off at this last moment; he has a record of doing so in the past."
Shock rippled through the crowd as they realized there were only about twenty seconds left. Was it even possible? Even if Connor ran circles around the cage, surely he could buy himself more time, right? Nervously, everyone stood up, quieting as they focused on the big screen. It seemed impossible. After all, Connor was a top player. He could certainly hold it together for twenty seconds.
In that moment, Catwoman, standing near the cage, watched Ye Chen burst into action, her eyes gleaming with excitement. Ye Chen looked even more captivating in the ring. While he had been moving slowly before, he occasionally flashed a bright smile his way. When he jogged past her, he would steal glances, too. Now, Ye Chen radiated a powerful aura.
Connor realized what Ye Chen intended and immediately stopped laughing, running even faster. However, Ye Chen relentlessly pursued him, driving Connor to circle the cage without a chance to recover his energy. After being struck repeatedly throughout the first four rounds, Connor was forced to run faster than he thought possible.
"Snapped." Ye Chen jumped, kicked off the cage net, and soared through the air. Connor was running along the outside of the cage when he saw Ye Chen flying at him. Realizing he couldn't escape, he instinctively ducked and covered his head, trying to continue his escape. But his physical strength and reflexes weren't what they had been earlier, so he was a half-step too slow.
Ye Chen's kick landed squarely on Connor's arm and fist. While it didn't instantly knock him out, the force knocked him onto the mat, much to the shock of everyone. "Crazy!" "Oh no!" "I... I can't believe it..." The audience was stunned. After a flying kick, Ye Chen pulled off an impressive move in the cage again.
To be honest, this move isn't particularly difficult. Any professional could execute it. Many who have trained could do so, but the challenge lies in its execution—it's cool but tricky to pull off accurately, and one wrong move opens up chances for counterattacks while draining energy. In high-level competitions, few players take the risk of attempting flashy moves as they can backfire.
Ye Chen's powerful kick left the crowd awestruck, recalling an iconic moment from the past. All eyes watched as it appeared Ye Chen was about to knock Connor out cold. Fortunately, even as he fell, Connor attempted to get back up, signaling he was still in the fight. The audience collectively breathed a sigh of relief. But Ye Chen didn't intend to let him off easily.
As Connor hit the ground, Ye Chen lunged forward and successfully wrapped him up. Connor tried to fight back, but his energy had waned significantly, and the kick had left him disoriented. Ye Chen successfully executed a double-leg takedown on Connor's abdomen.
"Connor, watch out for the naked choke! He's going for the naked choke!" The coaching staff focused on one thing: keep Connor from being submitted. Stay standing. Connor understood the stakes and grabbed one of Ye Chen's hands with both his own, curling his neck and pressing his chin to his chest to avoid getting caught.
"Fifteen seconds left." "Will he succeed?" "Hang on, Connor, only fifteen seconds!" "Come on, Ye Chen, time's running out!" The crowd erupted in shouts, with half supporting Ye Chen and the other half cheering for Connor.
Ye Chen struggled to break Connor's grip, wishing he'd acted sooner. He contemplated whether he should have thrown punches and aimed for a knockout earlier. But now, time ran out. He abandoned the naked choke position, releasing his legs and dragging Connor down instead.
One arm controlled Connor's chest, and just as he pulled him down, Connor instinctively loosened his grip. Ye Chen seized the chance to grab Connor's chin, passing the other arm through to lock it down. "Connor, be cautious of the triangle choke! Keep his legs from controlling your body!"
However, it was too late. Ye Chen managed to secure a position akin to a neck lock. It's typically best to have the opponent sitting or kneeling to increase the chance of successfully applying a submission. Yet, he had to try anyway.
Ye Chen quickly adjusted his position on the ground, successfully placing one leg behind Connor. This not only increased his weight on Connor but also limited Connor's movement, as there's less space to escape.
"Hang on, Connor! Eight seconds left!" "Seven!" Ye Chen unleashed his full power, leaving nothing held back, as the crowd held its breath. The atmosphere grew tense, with a near silence enveloping the arena except for the ticking seconds echoing in everyone's mind.
"Six seconds." "Five." "Three." "One." Time appeared frozen. In the very last second, Ye Chen suddenly stood up, raised his hands triumphantly in the air, and gazed back towards the arena. Connor lay still, the clock frozen at four minutes and fifty-nine seconds.
Hebo stepped in, flipped Connor onto his back, and signaled the fight's end. Connor was knocked unconscious just as the clock ran out. Ye Chen raised his hands in victory and walked around the ring without a shout.
The New York Stadium erupted with excitement. Viewers tuning in live also screamed in celebration. Ye Chen dashed to his corner, hopped onto the cage, and sat there, a pivotal moment in MMA history. That night, his popularity soared, and his net worth skyrocketed. Aside from not gaining the championship belt, he had achieved everything else.
Catwoman stood at the corner, hands raised high, gleefully cheering and jumping around. For the last thirty seconds, she had remained completely still, silently praying for Ye Chen. Ye Chen leaned over, slipped his hands under her armpits, and lifted her onto the cage beside him.
Initially stunned, Catwoman soon joined the jubilation, excitedly embracing Ye Chen. In the crowd, Johnson, Jason, Rambo, the governor, and others couldn't help but cheer for Ye Chen. The atmosphere was electric: excitement, passion, tension, and anticipation swirled in the air.
Dana, filled with enthusiasm, hugged a nearby officer, who didn't mind the unexpected show of camaraderie. Both commentators found themselves once again inspired by Ye Chen's performance. The adrenaline raced as they contemplated stepping into the Octagon themselves.
Commentator No. 1 shouted, "Win! Victory comes at the last second! Ye Chen has never lied—when he says it will be a nail-biter, he means it!" Commentator No. 2 chimed in, "Brothers, Brother Chen has won! As his biggest fan, I'm beside myself with excitement!"
More than 40 million viewers celebrated online. Although Connor had his supporters, Ye Chen's following dwarfed them.
"Awesome! My brother Chen is unbeatable!" "Did you see him take down a top player? How did he go silent on the live stream before?" "These guys keep talking about money and fame. Fighting is about skill not chatter!"
"Wow, my blood was so pumped I hit my dad twice in excitement!" "Brother Chen's fans online have exploded to over 10 million!"
"Wait? My brother Lago struggled to reach that. How is Ye Chen so popular? He's only had a few wins!" "Who cares how many? He just took down the UFC's top superstar!"
"It's time for a championship fight! Anything less would be a crime!" "Mahar's already called out Darius; the title match is happening in a couple of months!"
"This last-second finish is insane! Ye Chen's timing was perfect; it'll surely go down as a classic!"
"Absolutely! This submission is likely the best of the year, or maybe even the best in history!"
As the audience cheered endlessly, their eyes were firmly fixed on Ye Chen. Catwoman was swept up in the fervor, seemingly thrilled for Ye Chen, shouting along with the other fans.
Suddenly, Ye Chen leaned closer, "Hera."
Catwoman froze, her voice caught in her throat. "What did you say?"
"Hera."
She looked startled. "What do you mean?"
Caught off guard, Ye Chen realized his slip. "When I first saw you that night, I recognized your eyes..."
Her shock was palpable. "So, you've been lying to me ever since?"
"No, I just didn't want to give it away," he laughed.
Her fists clenched in mock irritation, "Why didn't you tell me earlier you recognized me? I thought you didn't notice!"
"Your eyes drew me in immediately! When you first asked for my address, it felt like I'd seen those eyes before. How could I not remember?"
Catwoman playfully jabbed Ye Chen in the chest, signaling for him to let her down.
As she stood in the ring, realization dawned on her: he now knew she was a netizen. "So you knew the person kissing you then?"
Ye Chen paused, speechless. "Leg photos, pajama pics, all those hints… you had me under your spell that night!"
"Who would seduce you?"
Soon after, the referee announced the result. Connor, too dejected to stick around for an interview, left the arena in quiet defeat.
DC approached Ye Chen and Catwoman, "Stop flirting, you two! Celebrate your victory with the fans!"
During the day, the three had bonded, and DC had even gifted Ye Chen. He was genuine in his happiness for Ye Chen's big win, making a light-hearted joke as he approached.
Catwoman nudged Ye Chen, "Go on—accept the interview!"
DC raised an eyebrow, "This is your biggest win yet! What do you want to say to the boxing fans now?"
Ye Chen took a deep breath, "Thank you all for your support, UFC, and Connor for this opportunity. We're not enemies—only opponents in the ring. I dedicate this victory to every one of you."
Thunderous applause filled the arena.
DC smirked knowingly, handing the microphone back. "You know what's coming next, right?"
"I'm aware. The Islam-Darius fight is set. I'm riding a seven-fight winning streak... If eight wins secures me a shot at the title, I'm going for it. If you're still champion then, don't flee—we will meet in battle. Darius is the first challenger."
Ye Chen understood that he couldn't call out Makhachev right now, as the timeline was already determined. He would simply wait for Darius to settle his fight, knowing he needed one more win before challenging again.
What Ye Chen had yet to realize was that his triumphant comeback had attracted many contenders online, calling him out, including Oliveira, Diamond, Covington, Chima, and Paddy. Now, he could choose from the best in the game.