Will Rey Briones score a three-peat?

THE 2012 World Slasher Cup 2 serves as the second of two golden year offerings of the Slasher, which began in 1962 and was initiated by Don Amado Araneta.

The big question is whether newspaper executive Rey Briones, who has won the title three times including back-to-back victories in June 2011 and January 2012, will be able to achieve what has never been done before—a “three-peat.”

Briones scored 8 perfect wins during the World Slasher Cup 1 held last January to bag his third title as world champion. The Spartans Game Farm owner bagged his first crown on his first attempt in June 2003 via the Islander RB entry; in June 2011 with his entry Spartans DR I; and recently in January 2012 via the Crowsland Silver Wings entry.

Briones’ back-to-back wins is the first in more than 15 years of the Slashers’ history.

The Smart Araneta Coliseum is the permanent home of the Olympics of Cockfigthing, the World Slasher Cup.

The World Slasher Cup, a biannual event organized by the Araneta Center and the National Cockers Association, began in 1969 and continues to be the biggest crowd-drawer in the cockfighting industry. The World Slasher Cup is held twice each year and is billed, and rightly so, as the “biggest cockfighting event in the world.”

Cockfighters from all over the planet focus their attention again on the Philippines, as the battle for the most coveted title in the game, dubbed as the Sport of Kings, started Monday for Group A with the first of two days of 2-cock eliminations featuring 100 fights.

The derby’s second 20-cock eliminations resumed yesterday with no less than 80 more entries vying for semifinal berths in Group B.

The derby, which ends on May 20, is hosted by the Pintakasi of Champions in cooperation with Thunderbird Romoxtyl.

The 2-cock semifinals happen on May 16 for Group A and on May 17 for Group B. All those with scores of 2.0, 2.5 or 3.0 points from Group A lock horns again on May 19 for the 4-cock pre-finals, while all undefeated entries (3.5 and 4.0 pointers) together with Group B’s 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 pointers face off on the 4-cock grand finals on May 20.

Leading the locals with Briones is Philippine Federation of Gamefowl Breeders (PFGB) president Wilson Ong of Game Farm who will be fielding an all-Hennie (binabae) lineup. As one-time WCS winner, Ong will be joined by his friends Ricki Reyes (June 2011 WSC winner) and Nueva Ecija’s Nestor Vendivil (Oliver) who is determined to hit the jackpot this time after three bridesmaid finishes in the Slashers.

Among the favorites are reigning Bakbakan champions Allan Siaco of Laguna and Gov. Eddie Bong Plaza of Agusan del Sur, 2-time WSC winners Dicky Lim, Biboy Enriquez, Claude Bautista, Maz and Bebot Roxas, Pol Estrellado, Boy Lechon, Dr. Boy Tuazon, former champion Boy Marzo (Bulalayaw) and Mayor Jesry Palmares.

The foreign contingents boast serious firepower with Ray Alexander of Alabama, Mike Formosa and Butch Cambra of Hawaii, the Hawaiian group with Sonny Lagon, Wilbert Le Blanc of Louisiana with his Yellow Rose entry, Jorge “Goy” Goitia, Gerard Inman, and Newton Isaac of California, Richard McDormick of Canada, Troy Buscalino of Chicago, Illinois, Will Kolnet of Alabama, Arthur Rhodes of Tennessee, Sagullo Bros. of Houston, Texas, Macky Quinit of Alaska, Vic Diez of Guam, the Indonesian group with Wilvin Sy of Cockfights Magazine, and Marc Salazar of Malaysia.