Ball-Snatch Death-Match: Philippines vs Thailand headlines Physical: Asia Episode 5 elimination clash

Episode 5 of Physical: Asia brought the defining elimination faceoff of the season so far: a Ball-Snatch Death-Match between Team Philippines and Team Thailand.

The format used in Physical: Asia for the death match sees teams alternate between one-on-one and two-on-two formats across up to five rounds.

The teams have to aim for a goal on the other team’s side. The first team to win three rounds advances, and the losing team is sent home.

If neither team manages to win, then there’s a one-minute rematch where the team that gets closest to their goal wins.

After a tense Round 1 that concluded with a tiebreaker, Physical: Asia Episode 4 closed just as Round 2 was about to begin, showing Ray Querubin and Manny Pacquiao from Team Philippines charging toward Thailand’s Superbon and James Rusameekae in a bid to seize the ball.

Episode 5 picked up right at that moment, opening with an intense brawl between the two duos.

The face-off quickly turned chaotic, with both sides grappling and diving for control as the match escalated into one of the most physical and dramatic moments of the Ball-Snatch Death-Match

The result: the Philippines secured the win after 4 rounds, and Team Thailand was eliminated after five back-to-back showdowns.

Physical: Asia: Ball-Snatch Death-Match Round-By-Round Breakdown

In the first round, Sunny Kerdkao from Thailand battled Mark Mugen from the Philippines. Team Philippines claimed victory.

In round two, the Philippine duo of Ray Querubin and Manny Pacquiao went head-to-head against Thailand’s Superbon and James Rusameekae in a 2-on-2 matchup, with Thailand emerging triumphant.

In round three, the Philippines’ rugby athlete Justin Coveney matched up with Thailand’s wrestler Anucha Yospanya, and the Philippines took the win.

Round four featured an all-female 2-on-2 battle: Philippines’ cross-fitter Lara Lorraine Deang Liwanag and track athlete Robyn Lauren Brown versus Thailand’s bodybuilder Ploy Nuannaree Olsen and cross-fitter Jar Uracha Teerawanitsan. 

The Philippines prevailed in that round, which sealed Thailand’s exit from the competition.

Round 1: Sunny Kerdkao(Thailand) vs Mark Mugen(Philippines) —  Philippines win

Round 2: Ray Querubin & Manny Pacquiao (Philippines) vs Superbon & James Rusameekae (Thailand) — Thailand wins.

Round 3: Justin Coveney (Philippines) vs Anucha Yospanya (Thailand) — Philippines wins.

Round 4: Lara Lorraine Deang Liwanag & Robyn Lauren Brown (Philippines) vs Plo

Nuannaree Olsen & Jar Uracha Teerawanitsan (Thailand) — Philippines win; this win triggered Thailand’s elimination. 

Significance and Stakes

The death-match between the Philippines and Thailand carried high stakes: one of the two nations would end their run in Physical: Asia after these face-offs.

The elimination was framed as the culmination of the “Ball-Snatch” elimination challenge posed to the lower-ranking teams following the prior quest.

With both countries entering the death-match, the round structure placed increasing pressure on each performance.

Team Thailand entered the death-match against the Philippines but failed to secure the requisite three round-wins.

Their sole documented win came in round two against Querubin & Pacquiao.

After rounds three and four went to the Philippines, Thailand’s path in Physical: Asia ended. 

Team Philippines secured critical wins in rounds one, three, and four.

These wins were sufficient to reach the three-win threshold, allowing them to remain in Physical: Asia and send Thailand home.

Although they lost round two, their resilience across the other matches proved decisive.

The successful round four win—by their all-female pairing—proved the final and fatal blow to Thailand’s continuation.

What’s Next on Physical: Asia

With Thailand eliminated, the competition in Physical: Asia proceeds with fewer national teams and intensifies its structure.

The surviving teams will move into future quests with higher stakes. Sources indicate that the next phase divides teams into groups, and further elimination rounds await.

Stay tuned for more updates.