Dana sat quietly, absorbing the feedback flooding into the live broadcast room. In this official space, these individuals were more than just fans; they were parents who couldn't be to be offended. But at this moment, he found himself startled. Almost unanimously, the audience clamored for the continuation of the fight.
"Damn, this kind of feud is exactly what I dread," Dana muttered, observing the barrage of comments lighting up the screen, each one more heated than the last. The entire atmosphere felt unsettling, and he could sense that if this matter wasn't addressed, the UFC would be in for some serious backlash. The pay-per-view sales were surpassing even those of legendary fighters like Connor and Kitty Hawk. The memory of that last major fight flashed in his mind, reminding him of both the massive profits and the fallout that ensued from it, nearly causing utter chaos.
"Are we really going to relive this scenario again?" The thought made him dizzy with frustration. Why was earning money always such an uphill battle? Other networks in China didn't operate at such an intensity.
The live broadcast room was inundated with comments.
[Why are we delaying? Brother Chen clearly won!]
[That was a decisive blow; how can they dispute it?]
[You're out of your mind! The UFC is thrilling and has a dynamic fighting style, haha! Everyone saw the win, why are they replaying it?]
[He Bo was clearly overwhelmed; Brother Chen should have left him lying there with his impressive stamina.]
[That last punch had me on edge. I really thought Brother Chen would finish him right then!]
[It's not the difficulties of the sport but the greed driving us to push through this madness!]
[I hope the original verdict stands. If this gets overturned, I'm done with the UFC!]
[I'd rather they restart completely; it'd be better to ensure Brother Cichen stays unscathed in future matches.]
[If they restart, won't that just benefit him? Let him recover first.]
[Exactly! Some fights are decided in a split second; you go down with no chance to recover. If he takes a moment, he may counterattack.]
[Counter? I can't fathom how Kazi could possibly hit back at Brother Chen. Can he really win even once against him?]
The two commentators, equally bewildered, were silent for a while. Finally, Commentator No. 1 chuckled, "Isn't this a bit absurd? There's no doubt Brother Chen won. Sure, Covington made some defensive maneuvers on the ground, but I could hardly follow; it was all instinctive."
Commentator No. 2 responded, "It's undeniably confusing. But let's not forget, Dana is a businessman. This is a commercial event, and everything must cater to that."
Dana had reviewed the video replay several times. The staff had adjusted the footage speed to scrutinize the scene more thoroughly. This was in line with Dana White's instructions: "Prolong the tension." He wanted to wait until the frenzy died down. Covington's protests could be easily dismissed in the aftermath.
In slow-motion, viewers observed. Ye Chen seemed to stagger back from the impact of a Superman punch but took no serious hits. Ye Chen skillfully dodged and deflected Covington's heavy blows. He maintained focus on Covington, appearing frazzled at first but actually in complete control. When Covington threw a wild backhand punch, exposing his own vulnerabilities, Ye Chen uncorked a clean hook that landed squarely on Covington's jaw.
The impact was significant; Covington's head jolted violently, and his legs gave out beneath him, dropping him to the mat with a thud. As if following up an instinctively set script, Ye Chen advanced and delivered another hook, this time from the opposite side. Only a few viewers truly understood the impact. While Covington had taken protective measures, Ye Chen's punch was so forceful that, even upon impact, it left Covington reeling.
Braces flew out, and a murmur rippled through the crowd. "One tooth... one tooth got knocked out!" someone shouted amid the frenzy. As everyone looked closely, it became evident, in slow motion, that a chunk of something small came out with the braces. Only then did they piece together why blood had pooled in Covington's mouth: a tooth was lost during the fierce exchange.
When Covington hit the canvas, he fell back first, followed by his shoulders, arms, and, finally, his head. His fall somewhat cushioned the risk of any serious head trauma. Observers noted Covington made no defensive moves during his fall; he only scrambled when Ye Chen charged in.
"Keep it going, keep it going!" The crowd shouted once more after viewing the replay, matching their fervor from earlier. Dana felt an urge to shout back in frustration.
Soon after, on-site referees, Dana, He Bo, Covington, and Ye Chen gathered to discuss the proceedings. Covington insisted, "I haven't lost yet. The slow-mo proves it!"
He Bo, visibly exasperated, retorted, "But…"
He Bo was frustrated with himself, reflecting on previous mistakes; once, he surged forward, thinking the match had stopped. But rather than stopping play, he had rushed over just to take a closer look. So, the fight had continued, ultimately leading to this chaotic moment.
Afterward, Ye Chen shook his head, declaring, "I refuse to re-engage in a match that's already been halted."
While he had intended to defeat Covington, he refused to belittle himself by going through the motions again. The relief he felt after the victory was palpable; his breath had finally been released. It wasn't uncertainty about winning that deterred him; he simply didn't wish to continue the fight against Covington.
Covington interjected, "So, what happens to my deposit and appearance fee?"
Ye Chen felt a surge of annoyance at Kazi but then witnessed Yinwei stepping in. She took him aside and handed him a tablet.
"Check out the audience's reactions and those from the live crowd," she advised.
Dana hesitated but ultimately spoke, "I know this isn't fair to you, but we all want to settle this favorably... perhaps even more than you do. I'd love to resolve this discreetly so we can all return to counting our earnings at home."
▪▪▪▪▪-----*******
"How about I up the bonus to a million?" Dana offered, knowing money was the key to negotiating. But he also recognized the dynamic shift in their relationship: they were not friends but rather collaborators, bound by mutual interest.
Ye Chen gazed at the engaged online audience, who were clearly vocalizing their desire for him to keep fighting. He hesitated and replied, "Make it two million."
Observing Ye Chen's uncertainty, Catwoman, familiar with his tendencies, hastily urged him. However, she stumbled over her words. When Ye Chen mentioned the two million sum, she reacted in a bold manner.
She playfully jabbed Ye Chen's important areas, testing his reflexes. Though he wore protective gear, instinct kicked in, prompting him to defend himself. Standing before Dana, Ye Chen remarked, "My girlfriend's tactics are rather underhanded. She directly asked for three million, which was ruthless."
But before he could retract his statement, he caught himself and inhaled deeply, "No…"
"We can settle on two million. Thank you for your support this time, Ye Chen," Dana almost pleaded.
Ye Chen wanted to express his frustration at Xiaoyin's action, while Dana felt an immense pressure. These two parents-in-law were making a mockery of him.
Had he delayed even slightly longer, it would have cost him another million. "Two million is certainly within reason," he thought, the fraught implications twisting in his mind. For Ye Chen, two million didn't seem excessive, but to our thrifty Dana—answerable to the directors—this represented a significant financial loss. Each deal felt like a gamble, particularly since only Connor managed to command such a high appearance fee in the league.