Of course, Wusman wasn't going to let himself be pushed into the cage without a fight; his head fought against the impending pressure. Just as he was about to shove Ye Chen aside, Ye Chen leveraged his legs to deliver a forceful kick to Wu Siman's side. Given his height advantage, the impact from Ye Chen's shoulder was significantly more powerful than that of Wusman.
"Pa!" The sound echoed through the arena, striking close to the top of the cage netting. Today, Ye Chen seemed determined to break Wusman's fascination with the cage. The force of the collision made Wusman recoil, his chin tucking instinctively as Ye Chen landed another powerful blow with his shoulder.
Wusman, momentarily speechless, exclaimed, "What the hell…" and launched a desperate attempt to thrust his head toward Ye Chen's in a bid to push him away. At that moment, the most effective parts of his body to exert force were his neck and head, aiming to create some distance while avoiding a shoulder-to-shoulder crash. However, Ye Chen was resolute in maintaining his position, refusing to yield any ground.
"Boom, boom." Ye Chen boldly stomped down on Wusman's feet, the impact reverberating throughout the arena. He followed this up with a quick knee strike, but given their proximity, the subsequent damage was less severe than the foot stomps.
The atmosphere in the arena was electric, the energy palpable. During the first round, Ye Chen was on the unfortunate end of a foul, much to the discontent of his fans and even curious spectators. They had paid good money to watch an entertaining fight, and watching Ye Chen endure such treatment felt unfair to them. Seeing him retaliate with fervor and stomp back in kind only heightened the thrill of the moment, igniting a fire within the crowd.
The commentators, momentarily taken aback, burst into laughter. DC remarked, "Ye Chen's ability to strategize mid-fight is truly impressive. I'd argue he rivals even my longtime rival, Bones. He faced a tough push against the cage in the first round and immediately countered in the second, using his opponent's own strategy against him. In this arena, it seems only Ye Chen would dare to do such a thing."
Indeed, in a match filled with strategy, fighters typically relied on the tactics they trained for daily, channeling their skills to exploit their opponent's weaknesses. Yet, Ye Chen's decision to leverage Wusman's own tactics against him was a bold move, showcasing his confidence. Moreover, Ye Chen's willingness to engage in close combat reinforced his relentless drive and hunger to win.
Logan added, "Now I completely understand why he started with forward kicks, spinning back kicks, and flying knees in the second round. Those moves seemed minimal in impact, yet they were only a means to tire out Wusman quickly. His endgame was to corner Wusman against the cage to stifle him and stomp on his feet."
Bisping chimed in with praise, "Ye Chen is a fighter who refuses to back down. If you scrutinize his matches, you'll observe that even amidst heavy exchanges, whether standing or wrestling on the ground, he never finds himself at a true disadvantage. He seizes every opportunity to land strikes, ruthlessly dismantling his opponents."
Meanwhile, He Bo stood ringside observing the exchange between Ye Chen and Wusman. He had no intention of intervening, especially since Dana was visibly entertained. The stark contrast in expressions between Wusman, who was being pushed into the cage, and Ye Chen, who seemingly thrived in the frantic moment, was striking. As long as the fighters maintained the audience's engagement, their styles became secondary.
"Boom, boom." With a swift sequence of stomps, Ye Chen drove his shoulder into Wusman again. The situation was dire for Wusman; anytime he moved in close, Ye Chen was prepared to retaliate with a shoulder strike. The strategy left Wusman vulnerable, his previous confidence draining as he tried desperately to regain control of the fight.
Taking a deep breath, Wusman reflected on the persistent agony he felt during the match. It was a pain akin to being hammered relentlessly, and it left him seething. At that moment, all he wanted was to retaliate, to slap Ye Chen across the back of the head and claim some payback.
Outside the ring, Whitman shouted, "Kamanu, get him off you! Get out of that damn cage!" Wusman felt utterly trapped, acutely aware of Ye Chen's superior strength and grappling skills that rendered him immovable. The pain only intensified, pushing him to shift his weight awkwardly in order to relieve the pressure on his feet.
"Boom, boom, boom." As he adjusted his stance, Ye Chen landed three more punishing blows, each one echoing like a thunderclap. Ye Chen, almost chuckling, heard Wusman protest, "Brother, this is supposed to be a competition!" Without responding, Ye Chen kept his onslaught relentless.
The arena erupted with chants from the audience. "Ye Chen! Ye Chen! Ye Chen!" screamed the crowd, fueling the electric atmosphere. "Trample him to the ground! Trample him down!" The audience had transformed their viewing experience into something reminiscent of a WWE spectacle, filled with entertainment and excitement.
Ye Chen remained focused, expertly targeting whatever leg Wusman dared to support himself with, occasionally mixing in knee strikes and short punches to remain within the referee's good graces. Suddenly, an uproar of boos erupted from the audience. Ye Chen, just as he was gearing up for another stomp, noticed Wusman recoil and clutch at his midsection while grimacing in pain, signaling to the referee, "Referee, help!"
Seeing Wusman's predicament, He Bo shot into action, moving swiftly to halt the fight. The crowd's discontent grew, their boos echoing throughout as Ye Chen was pulled back, taken by surprise at the sudden turn of events. He maintained his focus throughout, unaware of what had just transpired.
He Bo faced Ye Chen, cautioning him firmly, "No dirty tricks, do you understand? If it happens again, there will be a penalty." Ye Chen glanced over to Wusman, who was squatting beside the cage, shielding himself with a pained expression, laboring to catch his breath. Ye Chen shrugged, understanding that plea for intervention bore little weight in the current climate.
Once He Bo urged Ye Chen back to his corner, he then approached Wusman, asking, "Do you want a doctor?" Wusman shook his head. "Just need a moment," he replied, gritting his teeth.
The commentary team debated, with Catwoman expressing disbelief, "This is absurdly unfair! Did he truly get kicked down there?" While Catwoman recognized that a foul had occurred, it was hard to reconcile with her understanding of Ye Chen, who had fought cleanly in ten previous matches without any such infractions.
Ye Chen said quietly, "I'm not sure; let's wait for the replay to clarify." In the chaos of the match, distinguishing the exact point of contact could be tricky. However, a knot of guilt formed within him, suggesting he might have inadvertently crossed a line.
Logan chuckled from the commentary booth, "Wusman seems to get hit in the crotch every game. Let's go to the slow-motion replay. We can see Ye Chen's knee was indeed a bit dangerous that time."
As the footage replayed on the big screen and live feed, all eyes in the arena turned to the monitors, including the three commentators and scoring judges, all engrossed in the unfolding drama.