Ni Ernest Hernandez
KUNG tahimik ang taong nakalipas sa kampo ni One Championship Heavyweight title holder Brandon “The Truth” Vera, taliwas ang kaganapan sa taong 2018.
Nakalinyang magdepensa ng titulo si Vera at bukod sa pagpasok sa showbiz, nakatakdang buksan ang unang local branch ng kanyang Alliance MMA.
“Everything has been lined up and centered on fighting this year. I didn’t get to fight last year because (I was) moving to the Philippines, entertainment business and shooting my first movie. It was a crazy year,” pahayag ni Vera.
“2018 is getting Alliance ready to open, but 2018 is going to be the year that I am coming back to defend my title,” aniya.
Ngunit, ang malaking kaganapan sa buhay ng Filipino-American fighter ang desisyon na magsimula ng pamilya kapiling ang matagal nang nobya na si Jessica Craven.
“Busy, busy year for us,” pahayag ni Vera.
“On April 20th, I am getting married to Jessica Craven – soon to be Jessica Craven-Vera. We are getting married on an island – not in the Philippines – and a lot of our family is flying out for us.”
Mahirap pasukuin ang isang tulad ni “The Truth,” ngunit madaling nahulog ang kanyang loob kay Jessica.
“We have been together for 4-5 years. I used to work at Brandon’s gym because he was one of my favorite fighters and we became friends first because we are both dating someone out,“ sambit ni Craven, bilang pagbabalik-gunita sa pagtatagpo ng kanilang kapalaran.
“Life just happened, and now, we are engaged. It is kinda weird.”
Tunay na mahirap na maintindihan ang tulad ni Vera, ngunit para kay Jessica, handa siyang unawain ang bawat piraso ng katauhan ng nobyo.
“The different sides of Brandon – it is like having a big kid that likes to play video games, and you had to make sure you beat him all the times. And then you got the silent, grumpy Brandon during camp where there is not a lot of talking, and then you got a super goofball,” pahayag ni Craven.
“You are like a mother; you have to be like a mom,” aniya.
Nagsimula ang kanilang sumpaan noong Abril 13, 2017 nang magbakasyon sila sa Guam. Hindi man inaasahan ni Craven na aalukin siya ng kasal ni Vera, inihanda na niya ang sarili para sa kasagutan sa pagdating ng tamang panahon.
“I did not think about it at all. I just couldn’t move or talk when he proposed. I knew for a long time that it was going to be a yes. I did not just expect it to happen when it did,” aniya.
Mahirap sa lalaki ang magdesisyon para tapusin ang relasyon sa kasalan, ngunit sa pagkakataong ito, walang duda sa kanyang desisyon ang ‘The Truth”.
“I decided when she was the one when she made me feel that there is nothing in this world that she wouldn’t do or for to me,” pahayag ni Vera. “It happened almost right out the gate. I fell on my face; she picked me up, bring me up, she does that to me often.”
