World’s best cockfighters in town for Slasher Cup

MANILA, Philippines — The best of the best in the world of cockfighting assembles once again at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with hopes of rising as king of the 2023 World Slasher Cup on Jan. 26 to Feb. 1.

Dubbed as the “Olympics of Cockfighting,” this year’s World Slasher Cup stages an invitational 9-cock derby featuring the best international breeders and cockfighters.

Defending champions Roel Facundo Joson, J. Bacar of D’Shipper/BBB, Nyok Tony and Engr. Canlas of Guagua Cockpit 1 banner the stacked cast that also include elite bets from overseas.

The said home bets shared the crown in last year’s edition that was also held at the Big Dome, which has been the home of World Slasher Cup since 1963 before growing as the biggest and most prestigious international cock derby.

Participants open their campaign in a two-cock elimination round on Jan. 26 and 27, three-cock semifinals on Jan. 28 and 29, and the four-cock pre-finals on Jan. 31.

The highly-anticipated four-cock grand finals is set Feb. 1.

“We are very excited to welcome fans of cockfighting back to the Smart Araneta Coliseum for the WSC. Since it began, the WSC has always been held at the Big Dome, and cockfighting fans have been watching the spectacle unfold here for almost six decades,” said Irene Jose, the COO of Uniprom Inc., the entertainment arm of the Araneta Group.

“But more than that, cockfighting is a sport that is deeply rooted in Filipino tradition, and the WSC is, in a way, a celebration of this very important aspect of our culture,” added Jose.