As soon as Wu Siman made his move, the audience erupted into a chorus of boos. His performance was painfully dull, prompting a wave of discontent. People often complained about Xiaoying's style, but Wu Siman's approach was even more exasperating. Instead of engaging his opponent, he clung to the edge of the cage, employing various irritating tactics to disrupt and frustrate.
At that moment, Ye Chen could feel Wu Siman's overwhelming strength pressing down on him, like a weighty force, as he pinned him firmly against the cage. The pressure was tremendous, with Wu Siman's head pressing forcefully against Ye Chen's chin. Ye Chen attempted to grab Wu Siman's arm in a bid to escape, hoping to turn the tables. Unfortunately, Wu Siman's extraordinary strength and adept wrestling skills proved formidable. His ability to avoid a fall was nearly infallible.
As Ye Chen attempted to twist away, the relentless pressure on his chin began to take a toll on his spine and breathing. The physical exertion was exhausting, compounded by the fact that Wu Siman launched a couple of shoulder strikes on him.
"Boom." The jarring pain shot through Ye Chen's feet.
"Boom." Another hit followed.
Wu Siman had resorted to stamping on Ye Chen's feet. Ye Chen hadn't anticipated it would be so painful, the impact of each stamp felt like being struck with a heavy mallet. It was entirely contrary to the opinion of many netizens, who dismissed such a tactic as trivial and merely humiliating. Evading this assault seemed impossible; Wu Siman was just too powerful. With his head bearing down, he drained Ye Chen's energy and obscured his view of the battlefield below. If Ye Chen attempted to turn his head, he risked getting struck by Wu Siman's shoulder.
"Boom," another unsettling thud reverberated through to Ye Chen. Every blow intensified his frustration towards Wu Siman.
However, one couldn't precisely blame Wu Siman. The rules allowed such tactics, and while they might lack appeal, they were entirely legitimate in the eyes of the game. The misstep lay squarely with Ye Chen, who had been overly confident in his footing, only to find himself driven back against the cage by Wu Siman's relentless aggression.
The audience, particularly those cheering for Ye Chen, was agitated.
"Waterfake, he's a nightmare for viewers!" one shout echoed through the crowd.
"Is this competition even meaningful? Is it entertaining?" another voice added.
"Ye Chen had such an impressive fighting style, yet here he is, pinned against the cage!" someone lamented.
"Come on! What's wrong with you?" another muttered in disbelief, watching Wu Siman persist.
"This is just the rules; how can you criticize it when it's all within the game?" chimed another commentator.
The trio of commentators offered varied insights, but they knew their job was to captivate viewers, not to dishearten them.
DC remarked, "Wu Siman is playing this tactically sound. He may be at a disadvantage on his feet, so he's taken it to ground, like a seasoned champion."
Logan supported this, stating, "Ye Chen is a remarkably talented fighter with a unique perspective on the game. This encounter might just reveal some innovative strategies from him. But don't overlook the impact of those stomps; they will inevitably affect Ye Chen's agility as the match progresses."
Bisping offered his thoughts, "Wu Siman's tactics are truly perplexing. He has a history of bending opponents to his will, with none able to find a remedy. By anchoring Ye Chen against the cage, he's forcing Ye Chen to shoulder his weight while he fights to keep from being taken down, expending loads of energy in the process."
They were not entirely wrong in their observations. The only disparity was that Ye Chen was not exhausting himself in a grappling match; he was merely trying to prompt Wu Siman to make a mistake.
In a frustrated attempt to turn the tables, Ye Chen decided instead to focus on delivering rapid body shots. Meanwhile, Wu Siman managed to maintain his hold—one hand securely gripping Ye Chen and the other deftly parrying his blows. It was as if he was giving him a somewhat painful 'pedicure.'
The referee's irritation was evident as he contemplated intervening, yet the fighters' striking exchanges made it complicated to call a halt. From the corner, Whitman shouted encouragement: "That's it! Stay alert; don't let your guard down, and watch out for his strategies!"
Not far away, Dana was visibly frustrated with the unfolding events, while Catwoman looked distressed from her corner, feeling empathy for Ye Chen, who seemed utterly dominated and helpless.
Another "Boom" resonated as Ye Chen adapted his positioning. He could not afford to allow Wu Siman to trample on his feet any further; it would spell disaster for him. Looking at the fight clock, he noticed only thirty seconds remained in this grueling round.
Of course, Wu Siman didn't merely focus on stomping. To keep it interesting, he inflicted repeated strikes to Ye Chen's head and delivered knees to his legs when opportunity arose—always maintaining an offensive approach.
Even Ye Chen, accustomed to his usual resilience and open-mindedness, felt anger simmering within him.
"Someone bring me a hammer! This guy can't match me on my feet, so he resorts to petty tactics—unbelievable!"
"This is utterly monotonous. How is it that this so-called 'nightmare' is supposedly terrifying? Does it even involve any technical skill?"
"That's frustrating to watch, yet to pin someone like Ye Chen against the cage without movement? Clearly, there's more than mere strength at play here."
"If I'd known he'd result to such tactics, I might have chosen another opponent."
"Looks like this first round might end in a non-fight victory for the turtle."
"Yes, Ye Chen excelled standing up, so he may still yield points. However, receiving effective strikes while pinned against the cage is another story entirely."
"The momentum looks like it's in Wu Siman's favor. Remember, if this drags on like this, his victory will be inevitable since Ye Chen is in the position of the challenger today."
"Isn't Ye Chen also a champion?"
"True, Ye Chen holds the lightweight championship, but he's fighting at the welterweight class now, so he's the challenger here. To seize that title, he will need to demonstrate clear dominance or secure a decisive win."
"Is Ye Chen in trouble? He Pinned Mahatma last time—what happened?"
The first commentator remarked, "This tactic is downright frightening. It leaves little room for escape. Wu Siman's winning streak indicates he knows exactly how to capitalize on such strategies. Look at how firmly he presses Ye Chen's chin against the cage, limiting his movement. Without a chance to retaliate, it's a brutal game of attrition."
The second commentator, aware of the stakes, added, "I hope Ye Chen can strategize better in the second round. I suspect Wu Siman will keep pushing him to the cage, preferring to sap his strength—it's an oppressive style that's difficult to counter."
As the buzzer signaled the end of the first round, the referee stepped in to separate the fighters. The sudden relief of pressure allowed Ye Chen to stretch, reclaiming some breath after the relentless grappling.
With a smug smile, Wu Siman let go of Ye Chen and patted his arm, almost mocking him with an expression that seemed to say, "How do you like my pedicure skills?"
In that instant, Ye Chen resolved to take decisive action. As the next round began, he planned to strike first and strike hard, knowing full well he would have to overcome Wu Siman's weight pressing down upon him against the cage. Given the symphony of boos from the crowd, he felt confident the audience wouldn't mind if he decided to return the favor in the coming rounds.