Chekhov's Bet

Thanks for watching the new episode of 3D Mainichi Modern! I directed and made the player models for the special fight scene. You can download the models on the Steam Workshop here, and view the source files here. There is also a bonus Thompson that wasn't used in the episode.

Thank you also to Mild, tksubby, Toni, Pafbar, Victor, Wynton, and mre who were the actors in this scene!

specifically, the key trait that Joe and Rikiishi share as boxers is obsession. when they have a match they're particularly invested in fighting, they'll pursue it singlemindedly and unswervingly, no matter what risks or challenges it entails. Rikiishi committed to this so hard that he literally died! and Joe is no less reckless; despite witnessing (and being traumatized by) Rikiishi's fate, he still underwent a comparably brutal weight loss regimen to ensure he could fight Yongbi Kim, and then doubled down even farther in the leadup to the Jose Mendoza fight by willfully ignoring the evidence of his burgeoning punch-drunk syndrome. Joe and Rikiishi were both faced with the question of "would you literally give your life in order to face your biggest rival" and each said yes without even hesitating.

this shared trait stands out especially starkly in Season 2, i believe, because it's more obvious in contrast to the major rivals who this season introduces. Kim is by no means passionate about boxing; in fact, when he meets with Joe at the restaurant before their match, he goes as far as to deride the sport as "just a game" in comparison to his own experiences of war and survival. as for Jose, while he certainly puts a lot of effort into excellence at boxing, he's also a devoted family man for whom each international match is an opportunity for a family vacation as much as it's a work trip. Jose even draws this contrast explicitly when he fights Joe: witnessing Joe continue to fight through his worsening condition, Jose remarks internally on Joe's apparent disregard for his own life, and acknowledges that he's unwilling to take that same risk due to his concern for his family.