One-Day Tournament (2)

The Nogi tournament was a grappling competition done without a gi. Because it was done without clothes, many techniques that utilized the gi were not used in this tournament. Also, it was greatly affected by weight class. When facing an opponent wearing a gi, it was possible to control them to some extent by grabbing the gi even if there was a weight difference, but in a situation without a gi to grab, it was difficult to overcome a weight difference.

Angela was more familiar with gi jiu-jitsu than nogi. Of course, since she started learning MMA, she had been more interested in nogi grappling.

"Are you going to compete in ADCC?"

"Yes, I'm planning to enter the women's division."

"When is it?"

"It's held at the end of October."

"I didn't know there was such a tournament."

"It's very famous. It's an old tournament. I heard it's sponsored by some Arab billionaire or something."

"I see. So that's why it's in Abu Dhabi?"

"Probably. Do you want to come along, senior?"

"Where?"

"To Spain."

"Didn't you say it was in the Arab world? But it's held in Spain?"

"It's also held in Europe and such. Last year it was in Brazil. This time it's in Madrid, they say."

"Nevermind. I'm not at the level to compete in such events."

"You can come as part of the coaching staff."

"You go and enjoy it."

Angela seemed a bit disappointed, but Yu Jung-ak didn't pay attention and headed to the training room after finishing his meal.

After warming up lightly, Yu Jung-ak hit the sandbag. The sound of 'pa-pa-pang!' echoed through the training room. Then Angela came next to Yu Jung-ak and hit the sandbag too. While hitting the sandbag, Yu Jung-ak looked at Angela and nodded, saying,

"Your form has improved a lot."

"Right? Coach Rumsak teaches me well."

"Learn well. Brother Rumsak's techniques are world-class."

Yu Jung-ak continued hitting the sandbag until Rumsak Noi came out. Angela also followed Yu Jung-ak in hitting the sandbag before starting other training.

Two months passed faster than expected. During that time, Yoon Ji-yun occasionally sent text messages asking how he was doing, but Yu Jung-ak would reply briefly. During this time, Yu Jung-ak had been conditioning his shins using soju bottles, which was surprisingly effective.

The training method of rubbing the shins with soju bottles to condition the bones and flesh of the shin area was primitive but effective.

Of course, the pain felt by the person conditioning in the beginning was beyond imagination. Since Muay Thai kicks are basically done with the shin rather than the ankle, shin conditioning was essential. Training by kicking a wooden log was also good for conditioning, but it could easily damage the knee joints, so shin conditioning using bottles was good with few side effects.

This kind of conditioning couldn't be done in a short period, so careful management by the trainer was necessary. If one started this kind of conditioning from the beginning, it could cause fatal damage to the shin area.

That's why Rumsak didn't make Yu Jung-ak do hard shin conditioning from the start. Initially, he only conditioned Yu Jung-ak's shins using sandbags and mitts, and then later used the method of rubbing the shins with bottles.

These points were know-how that Rumsak Noi knew from not only his life as an athlete but also as a trainer.

Yu Jung-ak's shins had become much harder than before, now at a level where they could be hit against guards. Although Rumsak Noi said they still needed more conditioning, it was quite an achievement for just a month of training.

This was because Yu Jung-ak carried a soju bottle even during breaks and habitually rubbed his shins. At first, he had to rub very gently due to the tremendous pain, but now he could rub slightly harder without much pain.

Of course, he hadn't reached the stage where he felt no pain at all. Rumsak Noi said it would take more time to reach that level. Rumsak Noi's shins were so hard that they could be rubbed with a rolling pin without issue.

Watching this, Yu Jung-ak thought that if he hit Rumsak's shins with a rolling pin, the rolling pin might break. The typical skin elasticity of Thai people was something Yu Jung-ak envied.

"The weigh-in is first. And luckily, it's in the morning. That's good."

The one-day tournament was an event held on Sunday evening. Usually, in such cases, the weigh-in would typically be done the night before.

But for some reason, the weigh-in was scheduled early in the morning. When they found out why, it was because of the schedule of Jang Hyun-sung, the tournament's promising champion. Yu Jung-ak was slightly displeased about this, but there was nothing wrong with having an early weigh-in.

Yu Jung-ak was probably the participant with the highest rebounding rate among the contestants. There were even participants as short as 170cm, so in terms of specs alone, Yu Jung-ak could be said to be one or two weight classes above.

On the internet, there was a lot of talk about Yu Jung-ak's height and specs being fraudulent. Some people even called it cheating. But thinking about it the other way around, it was amazing that Yu Jung-ak, with this size of height and frame, could reduce his weight to 70kg.

Athletes were human too. The pain of weight cutting was never small. Naturally, the larger the amount of weight to be cut, the harder it became. Yu Jung-ak had his own know-how to cut weight smoothly, but that didn't mean he didn't feel pain.

When he started cutting weight in earnest, Yu Jung-ak became sharp and spoke less. Even Cho Yong-il hardly spoke to him on the day of the weigh-in. It was also courteous for team members and coaching staff to refrain from eating in front of athletes who were cutting weight.

11 AM.

Yu Jung-ak was the very first to weigh in. Although Yu Jung-ak was somewhat of a rising star in the MMA world, he didn't receive much attention here. Striking and MMA were clearly different fields. Moreover, Yu Jung-ak, who joined last, gave a strong impression of being a substitute player, so reporters didn't take many photos. In any case, the main focus of this tournament was Jang Hyun-sung.

Yu Jung-ak didn't care about such disregard and smoothly completed the weigh-in. When had he ever been a top dog?

Yu Jung-ak had always been an underdog. Finishing the weigh-in early means more time to recover. In other words, it's easier to adjust condition. In this respect, Yu Jung-ak was starting with an advantage.

After the weigh-in, Yu Jung-ak moved with his team members to eat. Yu Jung-ak's method of recovering his body was to eat slowly and steadily. He started with food that didn't burden the stomach and moved on to greasy food.

He could eat as much as he wanted, but it was important to eat only as much as he could digest. It could cause dehydration if he got sick unnecessarily.

After having a hearty meal with his team members, Yu Jung-ak came back to his accommodation early for once, loosening his muscles while watching dramas and movies he hadn't been able to see.

And then the day of the competition arrived.

==

Yu Jung-ak, who finished the weigh-in first, was also first in the competition order. The commentators were Kang Du-hwan and Seo Dong-gi, known as the two pillars of domestic fight commentary.

While Kang Du-hwan tended to make more popular and dramatic comments, Seo Dong-gi was known for his cool and analytical style of commentary. In particular, Seo Dong-gi would immediately point out without hesitation if fighters made wrong decisions during the match.

While opinions on Seo Dong-gi's style were divided, it was generally considered proper commentary.

[Yu Jung-ak is entering the blue corner. This is his first striking competition. He was originally an MMA fighter.]

[That's right. This is a big challenge for Yu Jung-ak.]

[What do you think about Yu Jung-ak, commentator Seo Dong-gi?]

[Well, when we talk about Yu Jung-ak, he's the rising star of the domestic MMA scene, right? His skills are certainly there. Above all, his large build, which is unusual for an Asian, is important. He's 187cm tall but fights in the lightweight division. This is a huge advantage. However, the fact that this is his first striking competition is very important. Also, this isn't just any competition, it's the World One Korea tournament. Low-level fighters don't appear here.]

[Do you think it will be difficult for Yu Jung-ak to achieve good results, commentator Seo Dong-gi?]

[His opponent for this match, Kim Wan-gu, is also quite a veteran in striking. Even though Yu Jung-ak has good physical attributes, I think it might be a bit difficult. Striking and MMA are clearly different fields.]

As the caster and commentator were talking, Yu Jung-ak climbed onto the ring. It was clearly smaller than an octagon. Yu Jung-ak stepped onto the ring in pristine physical condition.

"Don't give your leg too much. Be careful of your abdomen."

Yoon Chang-seon said. Rumsak Noi stood by his side.

"Understood."

"Jung-ak. If you do as we practiced, you can win easily."

[Kim Wan-gu is entering. Although young, he has quite a record, doesn't he?]

[That's right. He's quite well-known in the domestic striking scene. Kim Wan-gu also made a name for himself as a promising rookie in the beginning. But along with injuries, he often collapsed unexpectedly when facing strong opponents. This time, he's even gone to Thailand for training camp, so we'll have to see.]

[This tournament is being held domestically for the first time in 5 years. There have been some rule changes during that time, right?]

[Yes. Previously, elbows were also prohibited, and only one knee kick was allowed after a clinch. That rule has been lifted again.]

World One had gone through a major upheaval at one point. The organization had almost disbanded due to that upheaval, but after being acquired by a company, it was steadily holding tournaments and dreaming of a revival. World One was a bigger company than CFC in the past.

In the past, World One had received a lot of criticism for ridiculous matchups and reckless management, but the biggest incident was the rule change. World One, which was a Japanese organization, prohibited knee kicks and elbows when Thai fighters kept winning.

Of course, even with these rule changes, they couldn't properly prevent Thai fighters from winning. That's how much of a gap there was between Asian fighters and Thai Muay Thai fighters.

[There was a lot of talk about too many decision victories after the rule change. Recently, as we've returned to the original rules, the KO rate is rising again.]

[That's right. Fans will be able to see a more exciting tournament than before. Kim Wan-gu is entering now.]

[The Ring Viper dreaming of soaring, Kim Wan-gu, is entering.]

[Many people might wonder why Kim Wan-gu's nickname is Viper. It's not because he's vicious, but because he's such an excellent attacker. Kim Wan-gu's punching power and speed techniques are world-class. However, his weakness is that he's vulnerable to counters due to his overly aggressive style.]

[There's also a lot of criticism about his weak chin. This toughness is largely innate, isn't it, commentator Seo Dong-gi?]

[That's right. Kim Wan-gu has completed his entrance.]

Yu Jung-ak and Kim Wan-gu stood facing each other. The referee was explaining the points to be careful about. The height difference between Kim Wan-gu, who was only 170cm tall, and Yu Jung-ak became starkly apparent as they stood face to face. Kim Wan-gu had big muscles despite his small stature, while Yu Jung-ak had smaller but more defined muscles. Of course, Yu Jung-ak was much larger overall.

'Is this guy really a lightweight? Why is he so big?'

Kim Wan-gu was slightly surprised to see Yu Jung-ak, who had grown much bigger than at the weigh-in. Yu Jung-ak lightly touched gloves and stepped back.

The match began.

[In terms of technique, Kim Wan-gu will be far superior. Yu Jung-ak will have to use the enthusiasm of a rookie and the advantage of his physical condition to play out the match.]

Kim Wan-gu's style was clear. He would quickly enter his opponent's range and try to break them down with punches or kicks. However, in the process, he allowed counters too easily. Yu Jung-ak had prepared thoroughly for Kim Wan-gu, so he planned to exploit this point.

Kim Wan-gu rushed to the center as soon as the match started. The difference in height and reach was significant.

Thud.

Kim Wan-gu threw a light front leg low kick, but Yu Jung-ak easily blocked it by lifting his leg. Then came Kim Wan-gu's explosive step. Kim Wan-gu approached Yu Jung-ak throwing a double hook. Yu Jung-ak calmly stepped back and threw a left jab.

The left hand that went in while precisely avoiding the double hook. Kim Wan-gu clinched with a surprised expression.

'He counters in that gap? Is it luck or skill?'

It wasn't a big impact, but Kim Wan-gu was quite surprised. Inserting a left jab in a situation where fast double hooks were exploding wasn't a low-level technique.

'But striking isn't easy.'

Kim Wan-gu pushed Yu Jung-ak with force. He tried to throw a knee kick in the close position, but Yu Jung-ak easily defended. It was because he had already trained a lot with Rumsak.

Although his knee kick attack didn't work, Kim Wan-gu didn't back down. Kim Wan-gu's specialty was a takedown from a clinch. It was a technique of tripping the opponent's leg or shaking their body to make them fall. In striking competitions, attacking a fallen opponent was forbidden, but making the opponent fall like this was allowed.

Fighters used these techniques to drain their opponent's stamina or reverse the momentum. Buakaw, who is called a living legend of striking martial arts, was a master of these techniques. Of course, Rumsak Noi was also skilled in these techniques.

Kim Wan-gu's technique was skillful and good. He tried to break Yu Jung-ak's balance by hooking his leg. Yu Jung-ak slowly turned his body to receive the technique. He seemed about to fall but didn't. Kim Wan-gu gradually used more force.

He threw small punches at Yu Jung-ak, who was cornered, to prevent him from escaping, then clung to him again. It was because he was aware of the reach difference.

But Yu Jung-ak just relaxed and received it. The small punches could be blocked with simple covering. The impact was close to zero.

In the end, Kim Wan-gu couldn't throw Yu Jung-ak and instead lost his own balance.

'Why isn't this bastard falling?'

The clinch fights in MMA and striking martial arts were clearly different. While clinches in MMA were mostly a prelude to taking the fight to the ground, in striking, the purpose was to shake the opponent itself.

If the opponent lost balance, you could aim for a big hit, and even if not, you could drain their stamina, so this strategy of Kim Wan-gu, who had good strength, wasn't bad. However, the problem was that this strategy of Kim Wan-gu didn't work on Yu Jung-ak.

Not only was Yu Jung-ak stronger than Kim Wan-gu, but he also had excellent balance. Above all, Yu Jung-ak was already prepared for this kind of pressure. He had thought Kim Wan-gu would use this method because of the enormous difference in reach.

Kim Wan-gu, who was frowning and using force, thought it was strange. He had intended to reverse the momentum and dampen Yu Jung-ak's spirit a bit, but it wasn't working at all. Yu Jung-ak maintained his balance comfortably and waited for the situation to change before counterattacking. Until then, he had only been defending, but this time he suddenly grabbed the back of Kim Wan-gu's neck firmly and pulled it down.

The face of Kim Wan-gu, who had let his guard down, suddenly went down. At that moment, Yu Jung-ak slightly raised his knee.

Thud!

Yu Jung-ak's knee kick landed naturally. Kim Wan-gu crumbled on the spot.

Down.

It wasn't a big impact, but Kim Wan-gu had a surprised expression on his face.

The crowd erupted in cheers. Yu Jung-ak's supporters, though few, cheered loudly. The commentators were also surprised.

[Oh my! Yu Jung-ak has scored a down! This is unexpected!]

[Indeed. Kim Wan-gu seemed to have underestimated Yu Jung-ak's clinch skills. That was a beautifully timed knee.]

Kim Wan-gu quickly got up, his face flushed with embarrassment. The referee started the count, but Kim Wan-gu was already on his feet before it reached five.

"Fight!"

As soon as the referee signaled to continue, Kim Wan-gu rushed in aggressively. His pride had been hurt, and he was determined to end the fight quickly.

Yu Jung-ak, however, remained calm. He used his reach advantage to keep Kim Wan-gu at bay with jabs and front kicks. Every time Kim Wan-gu tried to close the distance, Yu Jung-ak would either step back or clinch, neutralizing Kim Wan-gu's power punches.

The first round ended with Yu Jung-ak clearly ahead on points. In his corner, Rumsak Noi was pleased.

"Good job, Jung-ak. Keep using your reach. He's getting frustrated. In the second round, he'll probably try to rush in even more. That's when you can catch him with a counter."

Yu Jung-ak nodded, sipping water and catching his breath.

The second round began much like the first ended. Kim Wan-gu, desperate to turn the tide, began taking more risks. He started throwing wild haymakers, trying to catch Yu Jung-ak with a lucky punch.

But Yu Jung-ak had trained for this. As Kim Wan-gu overextended on a right hook, Yu Jung-ak slipped the punch and countered with a sharp left cross. The punch landed flush on Kim Wan-gu's chin.

Kim Wan-gu's legs wobbled, and he stumbled backwards. Yu Jung-ak, seizing the opportunity, pressed forward with a flurry of punches. Kim Wan-gu, still dazed, could only cover up against the ropes.

The referee, seeing Kim Wan-gu was not defending himself intelligently, stepped in to stop the fight.

"Stop! Stop!"

The crowd went wild. Yu Jung-ak had won by TKO in the second round.

[Incredible! Yu Jung-ak has done it! He's defeated Kim Wan-gu by TKO!]

[This is a shocking result. Yu Jung-ak's MMA background has translated well into striking. His distance management and timing were superb. Kim Wan-gu, unfortunately, fell into the trap of underestimating his opponent.]

Yu Jung-ak raised his arms in victory, a small smile on his face. He had proven himself in his first striking tournament. As he looked to his corner, he saw Rumsak Noi nodding approvingly.

This was just the beginning. Yu Jung-ak had passed his first test in the striking world, but there were more challenges ahead in this tournament. He knew he couldn't let this victory go to his head. There were still tough opponents waiting, and he needed to stay focused.

As he left the ring, Yu Jung-ak couldn't help but feel a surge of confidence. He had taken a risk by entering this tournament, but it was paying off. He was proving that he wasn't just an MMA fighter - he was a well-rounded martial artist capable of excelling in multiple disciplines.

The path ahead was still long and difficult, but Yu Jung-ak was ready for the challenge. He had tasted victory in the striking world, and he was hungry for more.