Fighting Maroons, Muntinlupa cagers figure in free-for-all

MANILA, Philippines — What was supposed to be a tune-up game turned out to be a nightmarish one for University of the Philippines as it figured in a free-for-all with Muntilupa of the MPBL inside Ayala Alabang Village gym in Muntinlupa last Saturday.

In a video shared by a source, Dhon Reverente of the Muntinlupa Cagers was seen to have crossed paths with Fighting Maroon Bright Akhuetie in the second quarter.

From there, Akhuetie stopped moving and appeared to be favoring his stomach area before rushing at Reverente.

The two then traded punches, triggering a bench-clearing brawl, according to witnesses.

Akhuetie, suiting up for UP for the first time in the UAAP next month, claimed that all that happened was Muntinlupa’s plan all along. “I was going to set a screen when he punched me. I couldn’t breathe for a few seconds,” he said.

“I rushed to him as soon as I could get myself together and obviously, he was ready because that’s what they had planned,” said Akhuetie.

According to another source from the Diliman-based school, the Cagers were “not just being physical, they were playing dirty already.”

After the proverbial cooler heads broke up the fight, the two sides agreed to discontinue the match.