193 The First Knockdown: Your Mentality Exploded

This punch landed squarely on Ava's face, a striking impact that felt like a proverbial hammer hitting its mark. Ironically, Ava was shorter than Ye Chen, and he had leaned back in an attempt to dodge the blow. Yet, despite this effort, Ye Chen's punch connected so powerfully that it knocked Ava back into the ring, where he sat momentarily stunned. Ordinarily, it would be a tall order for Ye Chen to bring Ava down with just a single punch, after all, Ava was known for his resilience and toughness. He had a reputation for absorbing hard hits to the chin without so much as flinching. Numerous spectators speculated that he could even be on performance-enhancing drugs.

Ye Chen could not help but exhale in disbelief. He had initially prepared a powerful, explosive punch for Ava, aiming for a spectacular finish, but the sheer force of his earlier punch took him completely by surprise. In the Octagon, he would have immediately pressed the advantage, launching a flurry of follow-up punches, but that was not the structure they were competing in at this moment.

Before he could think ahead to his next move, a referee sprang into action, placing himself squarely between Ye Chen and Ava, effectively stopping any potential follow-up from Ye Chen. Ava, still seated on the canvas, appeared momentarily dazed. Ye Chen raised his hands in a gesture of peace, signaling that he would not continue to attack and then turned to acknowledge the crowd.

As Ye Chen expected, a wave of unprecedented excitement rippled through the arena. The commentators, fueled by exhilaration, shouted in disbelief. Their enthusiasm was comparable to the best commentators in the UFC, amplifying the spectacle of the moment beyond measure. Each reaction was laced with grandeur. Commentator No. 1 exclaimed, "Ye Chen is truly an exceptional talent! Did you see that punch? He feigned and closed the distance, luring Ava in before delivering a powerful series of strikes." Commentator No. 2 chimed in, "Earlier, Ava used deception to catch Ye Chen off guard at 163. He has now returned the favor, delivering the game's first knockdown. It's astonishing to witness the boxing king hitting the mat!" Commentator No. 3 added, "Ava must stay vigilant; Ye Chen is not the naive newcomer many presumed him to be. I see enormous potential in his boxing career."

As soon as they mentioned Ye Chen's skill, a tall figure glanced skeptically at the commentator's booth. Were they truly speaking with such optimism? Iron Blood had recently terminated its contract with UFC, and this did not particularly faze him—there would always be more fighters stepping up. After all, Ava's popularity among champions was lukewarm, and his ticket-selling ability likewise lacked the dynamism to alarm anyone in the industry. However, should Ye Chen also sever ties, it would certainly send shockwaves through the fandom, leaving them enraged.

The crowd erupted in a frenzy. Ava had actually been knocked down! Just moments ago, everyone was questioning how Ye Chen would withstand Ava's relentless aggression, and now, against all expectations, Ye Chen had scored a spectacular knockdown. "Did you see the speed of that punch from Ye Chen? It was phenomenal!" "We completely underestimated Ye Chen's brute force." "His strikes are heavy; Ava hasn't even regained his footing!" The chants of "Ye Chen! Ye Chen! Ye Chen!" surged through the arena, shaking the very foundations with adoration. Among the audience, many were staunch supporters of both fighters. After all, they were ardent fans of combat sports, reveling in the prowess of both boxing and MMA.

The most animated of them all was the man who could possibly be called Ye Chen's future father-in-law. Though he carried a few extra pounds, he leaped out of his seat, shouting vociferously until his voice grew hoarse and his face turned crimson. Observers who didn't know the situation might have thought the match had already been decided in Ye Chen's favor.

Just then, the countdown reached its end. Ava slowly rose, nodding in affirmation that he was ready to resume the fight. The energy in the arena shifted; upon their second encounter, Ye Chen noticed a marked change in Ava's demeanor. Gone was the easy-going facade; now, a fierce determination radiated from him. The fighting spirit Ava carried felt markedly stronger than before. A confident smile formed on Ye Chen's lips as he thought, "It seems this boxing champion is struggling to regain his composure after that knockdown. If this is just the beginning, what might he do if I truly get the best of him?"

Ava's new approach was evident; he charged forward with ferocity, his offensive tempo quickening, but with it came more openings. High-caliber fighters instinctively control the rhythm in the ring, and that was a hallmark trait among the elite. In maintaining a back-and-forth pace, dominant fighters sculpt encounters in their favor. If you can't use rhythm to your advantage, can you really call yourself elite? Ava was adept at disrupting the rhythm of opponents, yet he soon discovered that Ye Chen maintained his own unwavering tempo. Even as Ava altered his pace, Ye Chen showed no signs of panic or hesitation.

At this moment, Ye Chen continued to dance around Ava's left side, primarily targeting jabs. He knew he couldn't rival the skill set of a prodigious talent like Ava—after all, mastery doesn't come easy. However, given more time—perhaps a year or even just several months of relentless training—things might unfold differently. Thus, his strategy had become clear: the more aggressively Ava pushed to end the match, the more Ye Chen resolved to prolong it. He aimed for a methodical, fluid execution, retreating at the first clash to thwart Ava's combinations.

"Bang!" A fierce jab from Ava connected, but Ye Chen had seen it coming and evaded perfectly. Although the heavy jab grazed him, it failed to inflict substantial damage. "DEDEDE…" Ava surged again, eager to trade blows with Ye Chen. One punch aimed at his gut landed, followed by a powerful swing and a front hook—all of which connected with Ye Chen. Yet, he promptly moved with speed, circling around the center, maintaining distance while landing a precise straight punch to Ava's face.

Ava appeared momentarily caught off-guard, his speed now lagging slightly. However, Ye Chen had no intention of pressing his luck; he continued to retreat, land jabs, and maintain pressure, as he noticed Ava's arms were beginning to drop. Had this iron-headed fighter really been dazed by a straightforward punch? It seemed unfathomable to Ye Chen. Ava was undoubtedly trying to play him, baiting a counterattack. Everyone understood Ava's proficiency in defensive counterattacks. Therefore, Ye Chen remained steadfast, employing hit-and-run tactics while avoiding giving Ava any opportunities to exploit.

Not willing to yield, Ava quickly darted to the side, lowering himself significantly to land a brutal flat hook to Ye Chen's midsection from a distance so far one would assume he couldn't connect. However, it was again countered expertly.

"DEDE…" Ye Chen's wingspan proved advantageous; he unleashed four consecutive jabs, landing two clean hits.

"Calm down, Canelo! This isn't how you fight; you'll wear yourself out too soon!" his corner shouted in urgent tones, "Remember, he isn't a mere rookie! Don't let online chatter about easy victories throw you off balance. You possess the skill to sense his tactics, Canelo. As long as you steady yourself, there's no way he can defeat you!"

Panic seeped into Ava's corner; it was clear they were not on the right track. He had become visibly agitated, a product of Ye Chen's beautifully executed strategy and his own failing to capitalize on the moment. Ava, burdened with pressure—he needed this victory, he simply couldn't afford to lose. Ironically, Ye Chen bore a similar weight. Yet, his situation screamed of advantage; nearly everyone counted him out, having little in the way of expectations.

For all those yearning for a spectacular clash, the belief among the crowd was that Ye Chen could emerge victorious, alleviating any undue stress that might otherwise hinder his performance. "Bang!" Ava barreled forward once more. His uppercut sliced through the air like a blade, landing squarely on Ye Chen's chin. The hit opened Ye Chen's tight stance momentarily, striking him with a sense of momentary dizziness, but not halting his momentum. As he retreated, he returned fire with two punches directed back at Ava, denying him any opportunity for a successful combination. The tactical battle waged on, unstinting in its intensity, with each fighter keenly aware of the stakes at play.