Physical: Asia episodes 5-6 recap - Who won and who lost the Death match?

Netflix released episodes 5 and 6 of Physical: Asia on November 4. The series, a nation vs nation spin on the Physical: 100 franchise, brings 48 elite athletes from eight countries. These include Korea, Japan, Thailand, Mongolia, Türkiye, the Republic of Indonesia, and Australia, plus the Philippines, into a single arena.

It’s a 12-episode run that expands the original format into a continental showdown. UFC legends, Olympic champions, Muay Thai icons, ssireum stars, and other specialists all compete for national pride and a single title. Each episode stages colossal quests designed to push human endurance to the edge.

Today, the Physical: Asia's first elimination match, the signature Ball Stealing round, took place. Thailand exited the competition after falling to the Philippines, while Indonesia was sent home following its loss to Japan.

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Physical: Asia episodes 5-6 recap

Episode 5 of Physical: Asia saw Thailand and Indonesia exiting after back-to-back five showdowns. Previously, in round one, the Philippines had already secured a win. In round two, Ray Querubin and Manny Pacquiao then faced Thailand’s Superbon and James Rusameekae in a 2-on-2 matchup.

Thailand won this exchange. Round three saw Philippines rugby athlete Justin Coveney against Thai wrestler Anucha Yospanya, with the Philippines taking the win. Round four was an all-female 2-on-2 battle, as the Filipino crossfitter Lara Lorraine Deang Liwanag and track athlete Robyn Lauren Brown faced Thailand’s bodybuilder Ploy Nuannaree Olsen and crossfitter Jar Uracha Teerawanitsan. The Philippines prevailed, leading to Thailand’s elimination.

Next, Japan swept Indonesia. Judoka Soichi Hashimoto beat Indonesian swimmer Glenn Victor Sutanto after a rematch. For round 2, Japan’s baseball player Yoshio Itoi and swimmer Katsumi Nakamura overcame Indonesian jiujitsu fighter Fina Katsumi Nakamura and bodybuilder Igedz after another rematch. In round three, Japan's Yushin Okami defeated Indonesian boxer Jeremiah Lakhwani after two rematches to dispatch Indonesia.

After the game, Manny Pacquiao departed the show, and CrossFit athlete Justin Hernandez joined the Philippine roster. The competition then moved to the Team Representative Match in Physical: Asia episode 6. It had four distinct events, each scored by a single attempt, with six nations divided into two groups of three: Group A included Korea, Australia, and the Philippines, while Group B comprised Japan, Türkiye, and Mongolia.

Scoring awards are: 3 points for first place, 2 for second, and 1 for third. The lowest-scoring team in each group is eliminated without a Deathmatch. If necessary, pillar-vaulting results are used as the tiebreaker. The four rounds are:

• Sack Toss: 4-meter hurdle; 14 kg sack.
• Hanging Endurance: Holding on to fabric strips.
• Stone Totem Endurance: Back-to-back pairs support four stone totems at 135 kg apiece.
• Pillar Vaulting: In this game, two runners each complete ten vault laps, with the second runner finishing by grabbing the flag.

Every athlete must appear in at least one event. Last round, Sack Toss demands a pass every 30 seconds. Failing that eliminates the player immediately. Moreover, unresolved rounds increase sack weight, then shorten the time limit. In Group A’s sequence, event 1 featured Korea’s MMA-fighter Kim Dong-hyun and skeleton racer Yun Sung-bin, Australia’s crossfiter Katelin van Zyl and parkour athlete Dom Tomato, and the Philippines’ Robyn and Lara.

Australia secured first place in this round, while Korea followed in second. Round 2 had the Philippines’ Justin Coveney and strongman Ray Jefferson Querubin, Australia’s rugby player Eloni Vunakece and UFC fighter Robert Whittaker, and Korea’s ssireum wrestler Kim Min-jae and wrestler Jang Eun-sil.

Australia again took first, with Korea placed second. Round 3, the hanging endurance with strict ring rules, pitted Australia’s fitness coach, Alexandra, Korea’s crossfitter, Choi Seung-yeon, and the Philippines’ sambo athlete, Mark Mugen.

In this event, the Philippines took first place, Australia came in second, and Korea finished third. Round 4, Sack Toss, matched Australia’s Eddie Williams, Korea’s Amotti, and the Philippines’ hybrid athlete Justin Hernandez. The Physical: Asia episode ended unresolved on air.

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The next set of episodes, 7 to 10, of Physical: Asia will be released on November 11 on Netflix.

Edited by Shreya Jha