Post by Chris Ravenna on Feb 26, 2019 16:36:59 GMT -5
February 26, 2019
3:35 pm
“It seemed like all of Manila erupted as Ravenna fell to his knees and the referee handed him the MAX Jr. Heavyweight Championship. After Hunter passed the medical checkup, he walked over to Ravenna, patted the belt, and told him to wear it with the same respect he’d shown it for the last half-year."
-Toukon Road: Blitz Pacifica, Day 3.
Chris looked at the title that won from his rival, Eron “Lynx” Hunter, searching for some answers. Ravenna pondered over some philosophical quest.
Mainly, “What is the purpose of being a champion?”
Chris fought Hunter in a good bout where both respected each other but at the same time battled for the title. Hunter brawled against the Philippines native son’ for his fifth defense. But in the end, Chris’ cause prevail over him. It was to restore the reputation of his motherland. Now that Ravenna has become the Junior Heavyweight Championship, what’s next for him?
Chris held not only the MAX-Japan title but the legacy of the former champions itself; Matt Pulver, the first champion, METAL HERO and now joining the hall of former Junior Heavyweight Champions, Eron “Lynx” Hunter. Ravenna already watched some of the taped matches involving the MAX-Japan Jr. Heavyweight Championship, it may seem to be a challenge for a young competitor.
Chris reminded that arrogance he had when he became a champion.
Chris recalled back from 2014 where he won the GWA Nova Championship from a fighter named Carnage. It didn’t end well when he can’t make it to his first title defense. In 2016, he managed to capture the CEW World Heavyweight Championship. However, Chris felt that it was out of arrogance and pity. And just like his previous title, he didn’t manage to defend not even a single title defense. Since then, he didn’t win any other championships until now.
Chris Ravenna didn’t like it to happen once again just like METAL HERO’s title defense against Eron “Lynx” Hunter. He needed something to motivate his run as the Junior Heavyweight Champion. The legacy of the former champions was on his hand to preserve.
Chris Ravenna locked his eyes on one of the historical landscape of Greece, Pella.
Ravenna came from his flight from Philadelphia to partake TOUKON ROAD SIDE STORY: THE GOLDEN FLEECE. The event was held at the city of Thessaloniki in Greece. However, Ravenna decided to have a detour at two historical cities, Thermopylae and Pella.
Pella was best known to be the capital of the ancient Greek kingdom of Macedon and the birthplace of the young Greek general named Alexander the Great.
Ravenna read all the stories from the Greek prodigy himself. He was once a student of a Greek philosopher named Aristotle. And at the age of 20, he became the King of Macedonia after his father, Philip II was assassinated. Once he became the general of the Macedonian army, he led a military campaign to conquer and subdue the Persian Empire. He later stretched his domain from the Adriatic Sea to the Indus River in India. Sadly, his emperor days ended when Alexander died at the age of 32. Later his empire was divided four kingdoms. Ptolemy I ruled over Egypt while Cassander over Macedonia and Greece, Lysimachus over Asia Minor then Seleucus I Nicator over the Persian Empire.
Ravenna pondered the cause of his military campaign. He recalled some of the books he read from Lolo Tasyo’s little library, coming from Gregorio F. Zaide, a Filipino historian.
“The reasons why he invaded Asia were: (1) to retaliate for the Persian invasions of Greece in 492, 490 and 489 B.C., (2) to establish an empire for his personal glory; and (3) to spread the Hellenic (Greek) culture to the Orient.”
Chapter 9 – Alexander the Great and Hellenization of Asia; p.81
World History in an Asian Setting by Gregorio F. Zaide
At that point, Chris knew what he was fighting for. He experienced and witnessed the contempt from the Westerners to his countrymen. He won that title for his motherland. Now Ravenna continues to send his message to everyone that Filipinos are not weak but strong and courageous. He needs to defend his championship against any contender to redeem his previous two title runs.
Along with that, Ravenna had to hold up the legacy not only his ancestors but the former champions who kept the title for the MAX-Japan promotion.
Now Ravenna has the motivation to be a fighting champion, and the historical site of Pella gave the inspiration for him. Ravenna continued to explore its historical site before he went on his way back to Thessaloniki.
Other References:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pella
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_the_Great
