This is not a story to motivate you or light a fire under you to chase your dreams. I am sharing it because it is a story worth telling—from overcoming adversity, loss, and hopelessness, to proving, not to others but to themselves, that they are more than the circumstances that define them. This is the story of Team Gera’s march to victory at the 2025 National Muay Thai Championship.
The Siege
The story begins when Team Gera’s head honcho, Christian Abelarde, attended the 2025 Batang Pinoy in General Santos City during the final week of October. During the event, officials announced that the National Muay Thai Championships would be held in Pasig during the last week of November.
The news caught teams across the country off guard. With only a few weeks to prepare and the significant financial burden of transporting athletes to Pasig, many were immediately placed under immense pressure. Team Gera was no exception.
But as challenging as this was, it would soon become the least of their problems.
While Chris remained in General Santos, events back home in Bacolod took a devastating turn. Just a day after the announcement, the team and the city lost a Street Hero 🥷—someone deeply rooted in the martial arts, music, and underground communities. He was a figure who had helped not only Team Gera, but Bacolod itself, grow.
It was sudden. It was heavy. In the midst of grief, the idea of pushing forward to the national championships began to feel increasingly unrealistic. For any athlete or coach, preparation demands total commitment, but the weight of sudden loss is never easy to carry.
And the siege was not yet over.
As the community continued to mourn, another blow reached Chris while he was still in General Santos: a shift in focus meant that Team Gera and their partner gym would be moving in different directions, bringing their long-standing collaboration to a close.
Resistance
With everything in disarray and Chris still in General Santos, the initial decision was clear: Team Gera would skip this year’s National Championships. The timing was wrong. The wounds were too fresh.
Back in Bacolod, as the community mourned, word of Chris’s decision began to spread. Already devastated but not defeated, people stepped forward. Members of the community approached Team Gera’s coaches, offering help in any way they could. What began as collective grief slowly transformed into collective action. This is what defines Bacolod: the ability to turn darkness into purpose and loss into resistance.
As messages of support reached Chris, hope followed. What once felt impossible slowly became imaginable. From a day when every door seemed closed, light began to break through. Chris returned to Bacolod carrying a new conviction: that this adversity could become fuel, and that the ceiling placed above the team was meant to be broken.
Coming to terms with the transition from their partner gym, he reached out to Coach Adrian Hillana of 6100 Martial Arts and Fitness, asking if Team Gera could use the facility to prepare for the Nationals. What followed felt like fate. Team Gera’s founders, Al and Chris Abelarde, returned to where their Muay Thai journey had begun, training once again at 6100 Martial Arts and Fitness.
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- Muay Thai Training at 6100 Martial Arts and Fitness with Coach Kenneth and Coach Al
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- S&C Session at YoUr Calisthenics Ground with coach James Uy (2nd to the right)
Another door opened soon after. YoUr Calisthenics Grounds stepped in to help with strength and conditioning, led by coaches James Anthony Uy, Janlei Buensuceso, and Raquel Sy. Known as one of the city’s strongest OCR teams, this marked their first experience training combat athletes, and their impact was immediate.
With less than a month remaining, momentum was finally building. Then, Bacolod was hit by one of the strongest typhoons in its history.
Typhoon Tino left widespread devastation. Century-old trees fell, electricity was lost for weeks, and the city struggled to regain its footing. Just days later, another storm intensified into a super typhoon. Though Bacolod was spared a direct hit, the damage and fatigue lingered. Despite their determination, the team—athletes and coaches alike—were still human. Training paused as families and homes came first.
Yet, they found ways to make the mission possible. Carpools were organized; coaches picked up athletes before training and brought them home afterward. They did whatever it took because the journey was now defined by purpose and spirit, transcending the simple pursuit of winning a medal.
It forces you to confront the same choice the team did: when the weight of the world settles on your shoulders, do you cower, or do you keep marching toward a dream only you can see?
With little time remaining, the team trained six—sometimes seven—days a week. Muay Thai sessions were paired with grueling strength and conditioning, all while the athletes balanced their studies.
This was resistance— the refusal to let your circumstances dictate your potential. Team Gera lived this by training through the grief and the wreckage, choosing relentless action over the hope of better conditions.
The March
Typhoons. Loss. Severed ties.
These were the conditions under which the team prepared for the Nationals.
And yet, looking back, Chris would later say, “Everything went smoothly despite all the tragedies that happened.” On paper, the journey looked impossible. But somehow, step by step, things fell into place. What once felt heavy and chaotic has shifted into a steady sense of focus and calm—a promising sign of the strength they’re carrying into the National Muay Thai Championships. When the pressure is at its highest, do you find your peace or let the chaos take over?
Then the day came.
It was time to march to Pasig.
Upon reaching Pasig, the team realized they were the only ones carrying the banner for the Visayas. Other regional teams hadn’t been able to gather the support necessary to make the journey, making their arrival a significant victory in itself.
The landscape of the competition had changed as well. The Nationals, originally set for the PhilSports Arena, were moved to Pasig Elementary School. This shift meant that athlete housing was relocated to nearby schools. To prioritize a controlled environment for recovery and nutrition, the team secured their own space—a home base in Mandaluyong. Two units housed 22 people, all moving toward one mission.
Being the lone team from the Visayas brought a unique responsibility to the opening ceremony. The Muay Thai Association of the Philippines had planned a showcase for all three major island groups, and it was up to Team Gera to decide how they wanted to be seen. They chose a hip-hop performance that represented their identity, ready to show the national stage exactly who they are.
As Day 1 drew to a close, the Airbnb became a hub of focused routine. While the coaches handled groceries and meal prep, the athletes focused on light runs and the mental grind of making weight. In Muay Thai, the battle with the scale is the first silent war of fight week. It is a deeply personal test of willpower where the body is pushed to its limits, and the mind must remain unshakable. In those final hours, the outside world disappears, leaving only the athlete and their own resolve to meet the mark.
The following day began with the trip from the Airbnb to the venue. The 30-minute commute through the city gave many of the athletes a chance to see Manila for the first time—a brief moment of wonder before the gravity of the tournament took over. Once they arrived, the day turned to the essential formalities: registration, medical checks, and initial weigh-ins. As each fighter stepped onto the scale and cleared their paperwork, the sacrifices of the past months became an undeniable reality.
Returning to their home base, the team spent the evening rehearsing the hip-hop routine they would debut at the opening ceremony. Alongside the rehearsals, the athletes remained locked in the physical struggle of weight management. In this tournament, making weight is not a one-time event; fighters must maintain their registered weight for their specific fight days. This required total precision—monitoring every bit of intake to ensure they wouldn’t be disqualified at the next morning’s scale. With fight schedules unconfirmed until late that night, they prepared for every possible opponent.
The goal was simple: stay on weight and stay ready for anything. The march was over.
What came next was the fight.
First Contact
And here we are! The day when all the hard work is finally put to the test – the first fight day of the 2025 National Muay Thai Championships.
Nearly 300 athletes gathered from across Luzon and Mindanao, with Team Gera standing alone as the sole representative from Visayas.
With their opening performance, Team Gera took the floor with an electric hip-hop dance. Wearing purge masks, they made a statement through their movement. It was a symbol of where they came from, Bacolod, and a message for those who understood: Team Gera had arrived to purge.
Four Team Gera athletes were set to compete on the first day.
First up was McDean Genoves, fighting in the semifinals of the 16–17-year-old 48kg division against an athlete from General Santos City. McDean entered the Nationals with a shorter Muay Thai training camp than most. Just two weeks earlier, he had competed in Bangkok, Thailand, at the JJIF World Championships, returning home with a silver medal—an achievement few 17-year-olds can claim.
When the fight began, the lack of preparation showed early. It wasn’t his cleanest performance. But McDean stayed composed, rallied through the later rounds, and built his points. When the decision was called, his hand was raised. He had secured his place in the finals.
Next was JM Genoves, McDean’s younger brother, competing in the 14–15-year-old 54kg division. It was his first time at the Nationals, his first time in Manila, and his first bout on the national stage. Standing across from him was a seasoned fighter from Tribu Banwar of Kalinga, one of the strongest teams in the country.
JM stood his ground. The fight was close and exciting. The coaches believed he had edged the bout, but the judges saw it differently. Still, it was a valiant effort from a first-timer. With the match being a semifinal, JM closed his Nationals campaign with a bronze medal.
The third fight of the day featured Jared Pretta in the quarterfinals of the Under-23 48kg division, facing an athlete from Antipolo, Rizal. Jared controlled the fight and turned up the pressure. In the third round, he stopped his opponent with strikes, earning a TKO victory and a spot in the semifinals.
Closing the day was Wade Castro, competing in the quarterfinals of the Under-23 54kg division. He faced a tough opponent from Benguet. The fight was hard-fought, but Wade was stopped in the second round. Though he did not medal this year, those who know him understand this loss will only fuel his return.
Day one ended with victories, setbacks, and lessons learned.
First contact had been made.
Holding the Line
The momentum from the opening day carried straight into the second, with four more athletes from Team Gera stepping into the ring.
The day began with Katie Briones, a first-timer on the national stage, competing in the Female 14–15 42kg category. This was her first time in Manila and her first Muay Thai fight. Katie is a scholar of the N2L (Nothing to Lose) Foundation, a program dedicated to helping youth realize their potential through sports. Facing an athlete from Coron, Palawan, she showed remarkable composure for a debutant, winning by points and advancing to the finals. It was a career-defining introduction to the sport.
Next was Jared Pretta, returning to the ring less than 24 hours after his first victory. Now in the semifinals of the Under-23 48kg division, he faced an opponent from Quezon City. Jared dismantled the opposition with a display of skill and calm, securing a decisive win. With back-to-back victories in two days, he earned his place in the finals.
The afternoon brought a story of redemption for Jason Cinco in the Under-23 51kg category. As the only member of the team who had left last year’s Nationals without a medal, Jason had spent an entire year waiting for this moment. Facing a powerhouse team from Olongapo, he fought with a visible sense of purpose. He finished his opponent in the second round, making a clear statement as he secured his spot in the finals.
The final fight of the day featured Liardo “Sarge” Noble in the Elite 51kg category. Sarge is known for a relentless, forward-moving style, but he faced a significant challenge in an athlete from Zamboanga Duru—a team widely regarded as one of the strongest in the Philippines. In a high-level technical battle, Sarge lived up to his reputation. He maintained his pressure, fought with intelligence, and won by points.
Day 2 ended as a perfect sweep. Team Gera held the line, with all four athletes advancing and proving their resilience under the brightest lights of the tournament.
The Offensive
Today was the moment dreams transitioned into reality. While a few athletes still faced the semifinals, the majority of Team Gera stepped into the ring to fight for the championship, with national gold on the line.
The day opened with a high-stakes semifinal for Leon Cuadra. He stood across from the only active national team athlete in the championships—a tall, lanky fighter from Baguio with elite technical skills. Leon refused to be intimidated. Both fighters traded sharp, elite-level strikes in a display of pure grit. Though he ultimately fell in the third round, Leon took home the Bronze medal. It was a performance that proved his caliber—a hard-fought experience that will only sharpen his resolve for the battles ahead.
Next was the first-timer, Katie Briones, stepping into the finals against a seasoned athlete from Davao del Norte. It was a grueling, back-and-forth battle where Katie answered every attack with resolve. In the end, she fell short on points, earning a Silver medal. For a debutant, reaching the national final is a massive achievement. She proved her heart in the ring, marking this as the beginning of her journey.
Then came Samielle Khyn “SamSam” Hofileña in the Female 10–11 years old, 26kg category. Despite her age, she stepped into the ring with the composure of a veteran, dominating every round against her opponent from Olongapo. This victory earned Team Gera’s first gold medal of the tournament and marked her second national title in two years. Her back-to-back wins serve as proof of the steady focus she brings to her training.
In the 12–13-year-old, 32kg category, Shamgar Kief Al Hedek faced a fighter from the renowned Delarmino Muay Thai Camp in Laguna. The bout was one of the most entertaining of the day, defined by relentless exchanges. Kief came up just short on the scorecards, taking home the Silver. The experience of fighting at that level against one of the country’s top camps provided lessons that no training session could replicate.
Jared Pretta, competing for the third consecutive day, stepped into the finals against a fighter from Malolos. The toll of the previous matches did not show; instead, Jared appeared transformed. He fought with composure and confidence, controlling the rhythm from the opening bell to the final second. He secured the victory in the third round, earning his first National gold medal—a result of the resilience required to survive a three-day march to the top.
The final chapter of Day 3 was an absolute statement of redemption from Jason Cinco. After the frustration of leaving last year’s Nationals without a medal, Jason returned to the ring with a visible hunger to reclaim his place at the top. Facing a high-caliber opponent from Bulacan, he wasted no time and left nothing to the judges’ scorecards. In the opening round, Jason landed a razor-sharp, clinical elbow that opened a decisive cut, forcing an immediate medical stoppage. He effectively erased a year of waiting in a single, dominant moment. From empty-handed to standing tall as a National Gold Medalist, Jason’s journey reached its peak at the center of the ring.
Day 3 concluded with a collection of medals that gave weight to the team’s grit and turned relentless effort into undeniable results. Their performance has already left a lasting mark on the championships, clearing the path for the final day of battle.
Triumph
The final day of the 2025 National Muay Thai Championships arrived. Given everything the team endured—from the typhoons that disrupted their training to the personal losses they carried—the storybook ending felt within reach. Yet, in the ring, there are no shortcuts to victory; the final triumphs had to be earned through blood and sweat.
The day opened with Super Ace Legaspi in the Elite 48kg division. Facing a veteran opponent, Ace stayed true to his reputation as a relentless, forward-moving pressure fighter. Despite his aggressive pace, he was unable to secure the win on the scorecards, ultimately taking home the Silver medal. For a fighter’s fighter like Ace, a loss is never a reason to stay down. He accepted the silver, but his performance proved he belongs among the elite, and he will use this experience to refine his game for the next time the bell rings.
With only three competitors remaining, Team Gera’s 2025 campaign reached its final stretch.
McDean Genoves stepped into the finals against an athlete from Las Piñas. After a cautious opening, McDean found his rhythm and took full control of the ring. He dictated the pace and the distance, earning a unanimous decision victory. He captured the Gold, adding a final crowning achievement to a dominant 2025 campaign.
Next was Liardo “Sarge” Noble, seeking Gold in the Elite 51kg division. This was a classic finals matchup: Sarge faced an experienced striker from Pasig who was already being scouted for the national team. The first round was a high-level chess match; Sarge stayed technical but was caught by a few sharp counters. However, the second round saw a shift as Sarge adjusted his strategy and pushed the tempo. Noticing his opponent’s energy fading, Sarge shifted into a higher gear for the third round and dominated every exchange. He solidified his victory and claimed his second career National Gold medal.
The final bout of the tournament featured Crismark “The Young King” Pabulayan in the Elite 63kg division. He faced an athlete from the famed Lions’ Nation gym in Baguio—a camp known for producing world champions.
From the opening bell, Crismark was in a different league. He was too sharp, too slick, and too technical for his opponent to track. While the crowd watched in silence, he moved with a fluid confidence that left his opponent without an answer. In the second round, riding that momentum, Crismark landed a vicious overhand right that instantly ended the fight.
At that moment, the “Young King” validated his title. He demonstrated exactly why he belongs on the national stage, leaving no room for debate. It was the definitive end to Team Gera’s campaign—hard-fought, triumphant, and unforgettable.
The story reached its true peak after the medals were awarded. National Team head coach Billy Alumno personally approached Chris and Al of Team Gera. Pointing toward Crismark, he made a declaration that changed the team’s trajectory: “Kunin ko yan” (I’m taking him). These three words signaled his intent to include Crismark in the 2026 Philippine National Muay Thai Team.
The Hustle Paid Off
As I have said before, this story is not here to motivate or inspire; it is the record of a team that refused to give up. Through adversity, loss, and tragedy, they kept moving. It is also the story of a community that came together, forging bonds so strong they will be remembered for years.
A campaign like this takes a village. Support came from every direction—from Manang Chona to Coach Kenneth Zapanta, the Muay Thai coach and BC Martial Martial Arts School. It lived within K’s Krib with Chayen and Junjie Genoves, and flourished through the support of The Turf. Every person who stood behind this team helped define what resilience actually looks like.
For every kid born into a struggle, there is the Street Hero. This is the mentor who moves quietly behind the scenes, reaching into the hardest spots to turn a difficult life into a life of purpose. The Street Hero shows these kids how to take that struggle and build it into character, providing the strength to stand tall no matter where they started. This mission is driven by a simple, powerful creed: “We hustle to provide.”
It means the grind is never for the self. The hustle is about providing a chance, a future, and a way forward for the kids who need it most.
That spirit became the backbone of every victory and every lesson learned. It is etched into every medal won, every fight fought, and every life touched. It taught the team that the struggle is only worth it when you are doing it for the people around you, and that resolve carried them every step of the way.
This is the story of Team Gera. This is the story of a community. This is the story of a Street Hero.
We hustle to provide. 
Mea in Bacolod is open to collaborations. If interested please contact us at: meainbacolod@icloud.com
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