Wazzup Pilipinas!
I was among those members of the media who were left intrigued when Brandon Vera, mixed martial arts (MMA) superstar, spoke Tagalog at the NBA Café last September , 2014 during the announcement of his participation in ONE FC: WARRIOR’S WAY to be held this December 5 at SM Arena. I was also feeling joyous that he would proudly carry the Filipino branding in his fights. I laughed out loud at his witty comments during the interviews that day because he seems to be a guy that you can easily hang-out and crack jokes every now and then since he obviously appreciates humor.
We are no longer surprised at all when we hear about some Filipinos who would dare change their accent the moment they land in the US, even for a short holiday. This really makes us wonder why Brandon Michael Vera, a US citizen would imprint the "alibata," which no one even remembers from their "Alaring Panlipunan" (Social Studies) days on his back for all the world to see.
He fought for 8 years in another MMA organization and one would be surprised that he was wearing the Philippine flag or its logo boldly on his shorts most of the time. Brandon was left by his Italian-American mother at age 3. One would wonder why a mother would leave albeit a handsome child who would turn out to be 6’2” with the angst to conquer the MMA world.
Eventually he was raised by a Filipina step-mom and a Filipina grandma who would eventually teach him and his siblings to eat with his hands (kamayan). He is an expert at it and that showed when Mark Zambrano of GMA-7 had a one-on-one interview with him at Kamayan restaurant last October. Who among us even bothers to eat without utensils? Is it not that we have this ardent desire to depart from what our culture has inculcated on us?
Then here comes Brandon with all the privileges of an American citizen, born and raised in the land of milk and honey and he attempts to have a dual citizenship. Isn't this ironic?
Perhaps he was abandoned by his other at age three, perhaps it is his need to put down roots to what he wants to call home, perhaps he just wants to come home this December 5 as he fights Ukrainian Igor Subora at ONE FC: Warrior’s Way. Whatever it is, let us welcome him home, as he has done so much more than most Filipinos who were born and raised here who have not embraced their culture and heritage as much as this man who wears tsinelas has.
Ross Del Rosario, our founder here at Wazzup Pilipinas, also had the opportunity to have an intimate interview with the guy and he was impressed with how he would occasionally speak Tagalog words when our founder would accidentally utter in the vernacular. His answer to another question was equally admirable. When he was asked who he thinks the Filipinos would support in his fight against Igor Subora, who has been living with his Filipina spouse in the Philippines for several years already, he responded positively to hope all Filipinos would support both of them. After all, it's just competitive sports among them. Before and after a fight, all fighters are friends outside the One FC ring.
We are proud to have you here in the Philippines and would like to welcome you back home Brandon. See you on December 5!
Tickets for ONE FC: WARRIOR’S WAY on 5 December in Manila are on sale now at SM Tickets (http://www.smtickets.com). Ticket categories begin with the full Red Carpet and cageside experience for VIPs at PHP 6,360 followed by Patron PHP 3,180, Lower Box PHP 1,280, Upper Box PHP 640 and General Admission PHP 220. Prices include ticketing fee. Pre-sale packages are currently available.
Ross is known as the Pambansang Blogger ng Pilipinas - An Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Professional by profession and a Social Media Evangelist by heart.
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