131 Before the Press Conference Even Started, a Surge of High Energy Filled the Room

Before the press conference even began, high energy exploded in the atmosphere. As Covington prepared to take his seat, Chimaev, who had already settled in, swiftly rose to his feet. The two fighters were seated in the first row to the right of Dana White, who was blissfully unaware of what was to unfold—their chairs allowing for an up-close view of the roaring tension.

Meanwhile, Ye Chen and Hua Zi shared a mutual smile as they took their places next to one another. Their camaraderie stood in stark contrast to the brewing storm nearby. Dana was focused on Ye Chen, offering a welcoming grin as he organized his notes for the opening remarks.

Suddenly, Chimaev sprang into action, throwing a mock slap at Covington. While it was referred to as a slap, it resembled more of a playful swipe than an actual strike. Covington, ever the seasoned competitor, instinctively protected himself; years of training had honed his reflexes.

The tension in the room skyrocketed. It was evident that this press conference was set to be a memorable one, as the just-begun energy was palpable.

"Who are you referring to on that show? Making fun of my name and dragging my mother into this?" Covington shot back, visibly irritated. Chimaev wasn't finished, however; a punch was thrown, stirring the pot even further. This wasn't exactly new territory for Chimaev, who had a history of conflicts both in and out of the octagon.

It was common knowledge among fans that Chimaev had spoken highly of his mother in various interviews, indicating the deep respect he held for her. Therefore, Covington invoking her name was an act that was likely to provoke. In response, Covington stumbled backward, knocking over the chair behind him in the process.

"What are you doing? Stop this!" he yelled, shoving away the chaos that surrounded him.

"Stop!" Dana interjected with an authoritative voice, attempting to regain control of the situation. By that point, staff members had rushed in to restrain Chimaev, who had begun to threaten Covington further.

"Come here and see if I can't kill you," Covington taunted, his voice tinged with bravado.

"Fight! Fight!" shouted members of the audience, escalating the noise level to an absolute frenzy.

"Kill him! Beat him to a pulp!" The cheer erupted from the crowd and media, feeding more fuel to the fire. In the eye of this storm, Dana stepped forward and positioned himself between the two fighters, his expression a mix of annoyance and concern. "I'm warning you both—enough of this nonsense. If you can't keep it civil, you'll be disqualified from this press conference."

Past occurrences of chaos had led to fighters being escorted out, and Dana certainly didn't want to see that happen with Covington and Chimaev—they were the main attraction, and this was a critical opportunity for pre-fight hype.

Eventually, Dana decided to shift Chimaev to a different seat alongside Hua Zi, avoiding any situation that could potentially escalate with Ye Chen. Fear crept in that Ye Chen might not refrain from engaging. As Chimaev made his way to the newly assigned seat, Dana leaned in, "Don't cause any more trouble, especially not with Ye Chen."

Chimaev was wise enough to know better. He greeted Ye Chen and then eyed Covington with a sly grin, proclaiming, "You're going to get wrecked on fight night."

Covington seized his microphone, bursting into laughter as he mocked Chimaev's speech, a playful jab that drew chuckles from the audience. "Wow wow wow wow wow... Hahaha! I'm in stitches here! Honestly, I can barely understand you! Everyone knows I have unmatched stamina. I'm ready to take you and Ye Chen down in the octagon."

The crowd listened intently as Covington proclaimed, "No one can outfight me in the cage."

Chimaev attempted to respond, but Dana swiftly intervened, returning the focus to the press conference's scheduled agenda. After a few introductory remarks, a reporter stood up to ask Covington a pointed question: "Colby, can you forecast how this fight will go? Are you confident in a victory? With many predicting that Ye Chen's earnings might exceed 20 million for this bout, what would you do with that sum if you win?"

Before Covington could answer, Chimaev interjected, "He'll never win! He's just a joke—only capable of defeating washed-up opponents. And now he's become one of them! Ye Chen will annihilate him in the cage. I can't see how he can even challenge Ye Chen!"

His contempt for Covington was clear, showing that no matter the opponent, Chimaev was set on discrediting Covington's abilities.

"Wow wow wow," Covington retaliated, imitating Chimaev once more, his attempt to undermine him loud and clear. "Can someone clear out this bearded barbarian? Where are the security guards?!" He yelled, seeking attention, but aside from the audience, no one paid him heed.

"I'm absolutely confident I will defeat Ye Chen, who started out in this sport like a woman. His skills look like child's play to me! His wrestling? It's like a street fight in front of me. This match is an easy paycheck; taking 20 million from Ye Chen will be as effortless as eating a sandwich! Once I get the cash, I will first share it with my sponsors and then use the winnings to enjoy a lifestyle filled with beautiful women."

Pointing towards Ye Chen, he taunted, "You better consider how to repay that debt you owe! I hear you've already shelled out a million. I can't think of any possible way you'll snag a single dime from me. Your sponsor must be nodding in sorrow."

Chimaev burst into laughter, "I can't wait to see your face when you lose this fight, Covington. It's going to be priceless!"

Given the back-and-forth banter, Ye Chen chimed in, "Without this opportunity, I would have put you to sleep in that cage, and you'd be carted out with blood all over you."

Covington, undeterred, claimed, "Are you two delusional? I'm the undisputed number one in the world on the P4P scale—no one can crush me. I have never been knocked out; I possess a chin of steel."

He continued to sow doubts, recalling past matches against Makhachev and Diamond. "Do you remember how close Makhachev came to ending you in 210? And that bitch punch from Diamond?" He grinned maliciously. "I can't even envision you surviving one of my punches inside that octagon!"

Covington's boastful claims elicited laughter not just from the audience and media, but even from professional fighters present, their disbelief at his self-proclaimed status evident.

P4P number one? The audience knew better than to take such declarations seriously.

To which Ye Chen responded, "Your jaw was broken by Wusman, who is right here in the audience. You've been crushed by him twice, but I'll take you down when the time comes. My punches won't be as gentle as Wusman's—think of it as a makeover that will leave you lying on the ground, carried away after the fight."

The scene began to encapsulate the comedic undertones of high-stakes press conferences, only fueled by the presence of Wusman—someone Dana had invited to up the ante. Dana thrived on this teasing tension and pointed at Wusman, offering him the chance to ask questions, knowing there would be more chaos to come.