1 Can He Come On As A Substitute?

"Have you heard the latest? Lin Long has pulled out of the competition!"

"What? Why on earth would he withdraw? This was supposed to be a fight for revenge!"

"Word is he got injured during training. He's already submitted his withdrawal application to the UFC. Official announcements are coming soon."

"Well, that escalated quickly. The UFC and Lin Long's team just confirmed it together."

"I heard they found a replacement named Ye Chen?"

"Who's this guy? Can he really go toe-to-toe with that formidable opponent?"

"Lin Long was the strongest newcomer in our country. If he struggles against that fighter, what can we expect from Ye Chen, who I've never even heard of?"

…

The internet has exploded.

Lin Long, hailed as the brightest hope in the nation's fighting scene, has stepped back, leaving countless fans in uproar.

Everyone is aware that mixed martial arts in our country is a tight-knit community, with MMA being even more selective. Lin Long was set to take on a competitor from Bangzi, a fighter notorious for dismantling two of our rising stars in back-to-back matches, one in just thirty seconds and another in forty.

The audience was left distraught and enraged, pinning their hopes on Lin Long to reclaim that lost pride. The ongoing hostilities between Bangzi and Daxia heightened everyone's fervor for Lin Long to shut him down once and for all.

Yet, the unexpected announcement of Lin Long's withdrawal has left netizens fuming, searching for a way to vent their frustration.

"My name is Ye Chen. I stand at 1.86 meters tall, with a wingspan of 1.92 meters, weighing in at 86 kilograms. My MMA record? 0-0 and counting..."

With a mix of nerves and excitement, Ye Chen hit "Enter," sending his details to the UFC, his hands trembling as he did. His friends at the internet café glanced over, concerned he might faint.

Ye Chen hails from the mountains, having left school after junior high. He toiled in an electronics factory, ran assembly lines, and worked stamping machines, but none of that quenched his desire to lift his family out of their struggles.

Fortune smiled on him, however. Though uneducated, he grew up herding sheep, building a physique of steel. When he spotted an ad looking for sparring partners at a training hall at nineteen, he seized the opportunity.

Initially, he was a mere sparring partner for amateurs, but his remarkable athleticism and keen learning ability soon opened doors to training with professional fighters.

Fast forward to today: Ye Chen is now twenty-six, having trained alongside nearly every notable fighter in the country. His experience blossomed, allowing him to pick up English quite well, especially since many elite training centers hire foreign coaches. He even moonlights as a translator.

Now, he's done with sparring salaries—he's ready to step into the MMA limelight. He dreams of hitting the international stage, transforming his family's fortune and his own life. That pivotal moment arrived when he learned of Lin Long's injury—it sent him over the moon.

With a fire in his eyes, Ye Chen whispered, "Fifteen days, just fifteen days..." His fists clenched unconsciously as he envisioned himself draped in a championship belt, the crowd cheering wildly in his honor.

Linhai City is set to host this UFC event, and Ye Chen is already there. The moment he left the internet café, he headed straight to the hotel where his opponent, the Bangzi fighter, was staying.

With only fifteen days until the fight, cramming for technique isn't an option. Knowledge of his adversary is crucial. But for Ye Chen, understanding goes beyond the conventional.

Three months prior, he'd discovered an astonishing ability: a [simulation space] that lets him mimic everything about his training. It can recreate a fully equipped gym where he can practice with an idealized version of himself, delivering real-time results without the toll of fatigue or injury in reality. This means while he might be resting physically, his training intensity is multiplied, even allowing for simulated ring combat.

In simulating fights, he's crafted a strategy against Lin Long, replaying their sessions faster than he can dream. But now, he's preparing to mimic his actual opponent, Li Zhengyong.

Although Li Zhengyong typically fights in featherweight, being a last-minute replacement means he will compete in lightweight—and that plays to Ye Chen's advantage as they'll weigh in at a closer range.

Sure, achieving the lightweight class in just fifteen days is a monumental challenge. But Ye Chen isn't afraid; he's determined. If the simulation works well, he can identify weaknesses in Li Zhengyong's game, refining his strategy for the octagon.

As he ventured into the hotel lobby, reporters buzzed around, eager to catch a glimpse of the fighters. Ye Chen merged with the crowd, taking a seat while his virtual training continued relentlessly.

And then through the throng, he spotted his target. "Li Zhengyong has arrived."