It put Abueva on the shelf for over a year.
The Magnolia Hotshots’ Calvin Abueva has had his fair share of untoward incidents in his long, colorful career. But the most infamous one is arguably that clothesline he gave to TNT Tropang Giga import Terrence Jones in the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup, when The Beast was still with the Phoenix LPG Fuel Masters.
The enigmatic forward has largely refrained from talking about the incident, but he recently talked about it with the PBA Motoclub in the group’s latest vlog.
“Below the belt. Tayo, mapang-asar tayo. Napikon [si Terrence Jones],” Abueva told PBA Motoclub. “Syempre, nagfa-flop tayo, 30–40%, pero hindi naman all the way flop. Binayagan ka, sapul.”
Abueva, of course, was referring to Jones hitting him with an elbow to the groin as the latter attempted to get up after getting knocked to the ground by the former. No infraction was called on that play and the action continued.
“Hindi ako nag-react, hindi tinawag ng referee, ni-let go. So, ako, iba na ‘yan, import,” Abueva recalled further. “Relax lang ako, e hindi rin ako nilabas. Nagkataon na pag-rebound, nasakto sa kanya. Wala na, blackout na ko.”
What happened next was Abueva clotheslining Jones—a hit that nearly started a melee as the TNT import tried to go after the rugged forward.
The fallout, obviously, was massive, especially for Abueva, who was suspended without pay for well over a year. But the Pampanga native has apparently made peace with the ramifications of his actions.
“Pagkatapos nung nangyari, ginawa ko naman ‘yung part ko kung papano tayo babalik sa dati nating trabaho…” Abueva admitted. “May pagkakamali rin ako… In-accept ko na lang sa sarili ko, para sa pamilya ko na kung ano papagawa nila, gawin ko na lang.”
Yes, Abueva did all that, and he has largely stayed out of trouble ever since.
Watch the full vlog for yourself. Abueva's admissions come at about the five-minute mark.