Ye Chen firmly believed that his wrestling skills were on par with Chimaev's, or perhaps even superior. Nonetheless, in the unpredictable world of wrestling, errors are bound to happen. Defeating Chimaev wouldn't be an easy feat; thus, Ye Chen skillfully executed his wrestling technique. In a split second, as Chimaev released his grip and his feet hit the mat, Ye Chen swiftly hooked one of Chimaev's legs. With deftness, he applied pressure under Chimaev's left armpit, pushed against his hip, and simultaneously shifted his weight backward.
At that moment, Chimaev found himself vulnerable. The two athletes were incredibly close, and as Ye Chen fell to the ground, weighing around 190 pounds, Chimaev could only follow suit, as one leg had been hooked. Upon landing, the odds were leveled nearly equally. Chimaev often practiced such maneuvers, making him well-versed in suppression and counters when on the ground. The combined force of their weights exceeded 380 pounds, and one could easily envision the dramatic spectacle of their bodies colliding with the arena floor.
"14!"
The crowd gasped in unison, a wave of astonishment sweeping through the venue. The first row, occupied by stars from various boy and girl groups, watched in disbelief. Lacking any in-depth knowledge about fighting, they were present merely for the sake of their company-related involvement. Their appearances served to elevate their own popularity while simultaneously boosting the event's profile, a symbiotic relationship. Consequently, specialized cameras captured the reactions of these celebrities throughout the match. At this climactic moment, the striking beauties were visibly shaken, with some members of the girl group unable to contain their fear, covering their faces and retreating from the action.
It wasn't just them; even Catwoman, who had been captivated by Ye Chen's prowess, was taken aback. She had never witnessed him take a fall of such magnitude, and in her eyes, it appeared catastrophic, enough to be a potential danger to his health. In reality, if this had occurred on a regular surface, the impact would have surely caused serious injury. Yet the ring had softened their landing somewhat.
Meanwhile, the trio of commentators expressed their shock, exclaiming alongside the audience. Just moments prior to their fall, Chimaev had made his move, pressing his head into Ye Chen's and pinning down his left thigh with his right arm to prepare for a counter once they hit the mat. Yet Ye Chen maintained a significant advantage—he had firmly held onto the armpit position without relinquishing it.
In that split second, Ye Chen had also hooked Chimaev's right leg. He fell towards the right, where they both landed nearly simultaneously. As soon as they hit the canvas, Chimaev began applying pressure to Ye Chen with his head while blocking Ye Chen's leg, thus thwarting any attempts at a switch. Chimaev writhed to complete the takeover, but the task proved challenging. Both were now lying face to face on the ring, with Ye Chen on his right side and Chimaev on the left. Even though Chimaev was clever enough to apply pressure to Ye Chen's upper left leg, he was thwarted by the fact that Ye Chen had hooked his right leg, preventing him from gaining ground.
In this precarious situation, the benefits of controlling the armpit position became clear. Ye Chen swiftly withdrew his arm from the armpit grip and unleashed a series of punishing strikes to Chimaev's face. Chimaev, with one arm pinned beneath his body and the other occupied, faced a dilemma—defend and risk being straddled or endure the painful blows raining down upon him.
"Bang bang bang!"
Ye Chen rained punches onto Chimaev's side, shifting the mood in the arena from shock to exuberant cheers. The atmosphere exploded with excitement. Commentators from both Yangshi and Migu heightened the excitement. Commentator No. 1 exclaimed, "As far as I know, Chimaev has never been taken down before. He's always been the one in control. I didn't think Brother Chen would break that streak right out of the gate. Truly impressive!"
Commentator No. 2 added, "Chimaev possesses a colossal wrestling pedigree. Few in the UFC can match him on the mat. Even the Sambo world champion, the Leopard King, struggled against him. Brother Chen appears to be the best wrestler at this level in our country."
The sense of hope for Ye Chen gained traction. "If Chimaev is unable to outmatch Brother Chen, it's hard to imagine how he could secure a victory," the commentator surmised.
The live broadcast chat surged with energy:
["Holy cow, is this power for real? The Dog King's strength is insane; Brother Chen just tossed him like a rag doll!"]
["Do you even know what you're talking about? You should watch Brother Chen's short video where he highlights the essential skills needed for wrestlers of similar weights. It's not simply about raw strength!"]
["Let's be real. If the skills are equal, the stronger individual will usually have the edge. However, this match wasn't a matter of brute force. Did you miss Brother Chen's strategic hooking before he fell? Pay attention!"]
["I can hardly keep up. It happens so fast! I'm just enjoying the spectacle, I'm not an expert in ground techniques."]
["Didn't you notice that Brother Chen also fell? Why are you skipping that detail?"]
["Come on, it doesn't count! Brother Chen initiated the throw and seized the advantage. Clearly, Dog King's face is getting pounded!"]
["Haha! It's fantastic; Dog King has finally stopped his barking, and his face is getting wrecked!"]
["Hit him again, Brother Chen! This dude deserves it for all the times he's dished it out!"]
["I can't believe he was turned into a husky by the Dog King! Let's see if he still has the nerve to act tough. Hearing him call Airi Bati all the time is just too much!"]
In the ring, Ye Chen continued to unleash punch after punch. Although each blow might not have been devastating lying flat on their backs, the relentless assault was akin to hammering garlic—fast and irritating. For an aggressive personality like Chimaev, the psychological toll was much more significant than the physical damage. After all, he prided himself on his unmatched wrestling ability; even the Sambo world champion had failed to dominate him.
"DE…"
Chimaev growled, mustering the will to release the arm trapped beneath him. Instead of going for a defensive posture, he sought to retaliate, throwing two quick punches toward Ye Chen. Unfortunately for him, their close proximity made effective striking nearly impossible. As a result, he resorted to using his elbow, trying to connect with Ye Chen's head while wrestling for control. The moment his body slackened even slightly, he attempted to kick Ye Chen's left leg away, seeking freedom.
Yet Ye Chen, anticipating the move, raised his left leg to block. He was determined not to let Chimaev regain the upper hand. Realizing that Chimaev's free limbs could easily shift the balance if he turned over, Ye Chen had to secure his position. Just as Chimaev began to elevate his legs, Ye Chen quickly stood, throwing an arm around Chimaev's neck while grabbing one of his arms to limit his mobility. The race to regain footing escalated; that one moment could tip the scales in either direction.
Chimaev was no mere novice. With skilled instincts, he retaliated by landing three solid punches to Ye Chen's abdomen, hoping to force a release. But Ye Chen refused to yield, even as the blows struck his midsection. At this moment, both fighters had regained their stance. Seizing the opportunity, Ye Chen released Chimaev's arm and raised his elbow high.
"Snapped!"
The sharp crack of Ye Chen's elbow making contact with Chimaev's head echoed through the arena, sending chills through the crowd and heightening the intensity of the match.