ONRA:May8th,2005: TheMomentumofGuamBJJ

Hafa Adai, Some updates for you…

Justin Cruz’s title fight for the URCC was moved to June 14^th. It looks like we may have  our first local female fighter athlete competing in MixedMartialArts overseas in the Godz of War on June 21^st.

www.godzofwar.tv

Its going to be an impressive PrebaHao fight card on May 16^th and a Jiujitsu,Judo, and Kickboxing tournament at the Westin Hotel the following day making it another combat sports weekend .

Purebred and other Guam nationals are getting ready for the BJJ World Championships the first weekend of June while another youth JiuJitsu and Grappling tournament, two major MMA events for Guam and another one in

Saipan are in the planning for an exciting combat sports and entertainment summer in 2008.

12 Representatives from The GuamBranch of theCarlsonGracieJr.JiujitsuAcademy ventured this weekend to the Philippines to represent Guam in one of Asia’s Largest BJJ Events, the PanAsianBrazilianJiujitsu and GrapplingChallenge at the Mall of Asia in the

Philippines. In their second appearance in less than a year, the Carlson Gracie Jr. Team headed by Gabriel Baker, returned home with  an accumulated 25 medals,  .__10__Gold_5__Silverand __8__Bornze ,in the beginner and intermediate categories for the youth, female, and adult  Gi and no-gi divisions plus third place overall in both days.

With several multiple gold medal performances by Miguel Ayuyu, Mike Carbullido, and Steven Kim, the junior grapplers also turned things up a notch in entering entering the adult divisions to outperform the majority of their senior competitors in several outstanding performances for

Guam’s thriving and fast-developing youth BJJ and Grappling environment. With less than 2years in training for BJJ, other Carlson Gracie members David Hansen, RobertoRivera,Mario_Salas, and Aubrey Guerrero  also excelled in the men’s beginners and intermediate divisions gathering medals not just for theCarlsonGracieJr.Academy but for Guam BJJ in front of more than a few thousand accumulated spectators at the SM Mall of Asia.

 In an event once dominated by the collective efforts of a contingency from several of Guam’s local BJJ training centers, the Pan Asias was missing one of the event’s prior dominating academies,Team Purebred/Lloyd Irvin because of their preparation and time dedicated for June’s World Championships in California.

 But as our sport is evolving and as the training and competing populating grows, Marianas BJJ is in effect, covering more area, gaining momentum and paving more roads for greater opportunities in the region’s combat sports industry for not only the grappling arts, but also for MMA and other athletics.

Speaking of regional opportunities Saipans second Submission grappling tourney will be this weekend at the new TrenchTech/PurebredSaipan Academy. Saipan’s recent success in regional MixedMartialArts Competition is echoing landmark accomplishments with other milestone achievements like PatAyuyu’s recent rise as a K-1 fighter, Kelvin Fitial’s recent ventures into major MMA events in Asia, and Frank Camacho’s capture of the CNMI’s first foreign MMA Championship title.

Larger scale grappling and amateur events developing throughout the region can only fluorish the environment if there are competitiors, fans, and sponsors to support them. So far We have been doing a great job of working collectively with our neighbors in the

Marianas, but we can always do better. Recognize the different levels of glory, pride, and honor that combatives is producing for our islands. It is the celebration of hard work, a toast to a job well done, and at times, a helping hand for a fallen comrade.  But for now, lets dance in the light that major efforts are put forward in the CNMI to portray and cultivate combat sports not just as entertainment, but more importantly as sport and martial art as a bigger picture vehicle; in the genuine interests of deveolping not only skill level but also for creating a better infrastructure to expand the opportunities for our fighter athletes and our proud islands.