Onra:September15th,2011

Hafa Adai,

Congratulations and great job (again) for Rights of Passage11:Onra! Word on the street that the event was one of the best ever in the CNMI….

With their sights set on London for 2012. Guam wrestlers  are in Turkey for this year’s International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles World Championships that are being held Sept. 12 to 18 to compete in what has been called “the single most important event on the FILA Calendar heading into an Olympic Year,”

Grapplers get ready because it’s going to be the 2ndEm-pyreClassic Gi Only tournament at the Dededo Sports Complex 10am this Saturday.Please take note that weigh ins will be at the Guam PremiereOutlets from 12-6pm on Friday.

Martial arts is a massive word and its most definitely not only for the grapplers nor mixed martial artists— for some serious combat sports action Guam Kyokushinkai will host its 2nd Annual Carlos Palacios Memorial Tournament on Oct. 1 at the Dededo Sports Complex located in Harmon.

Congratulations to Stephen Roberto of Purebred/LloydIrvin Jiujitsu for being awarded for “Outstanding Group Fitness Instructor” for the 2011 Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports!

Purebred Celebrates 15years of Jiujitsu on Guam and the wheels are in motion for a modified rules MMA event in October for aMariana Islands vs. Japan Fight card in the land of the rising sun

Congratulations Purebred and further more Congratulations for Guam Jiujitsu!

Its amazing that it has already been at least 15years since Brazilian Jiujitsu instruction arrived on Guam. Much love goes to Purebred for getting things started for the responsible escort of a single discipline that has changed the dynamic of martial arts on Guam and the world like no other.

Jiujitsus arrival on Guam prior to 1996 was exclusive to just an elite few and its great to see that these guys are still immensely involved in Guam’s martial arts picture.

It seemed that the initial attraction of Jiujitsu was its offering with fighting skill but now when you look at tournaments, you look a the smiles of children, of parents..we can really truly say that its become for many a lifestyle.

Jiujitsu, like some other martial arts, prides itself on the economy of motion. That is getting the maximum of results with the minimal effort. But now that our island has been putting maximum effort, the results have been tremendous.

Tournaments, headlines, Regional and World Champions—this beautiful science has brought so much positivity into our island paradise and its really inspiring to see it embraced by so many.

Back in the day, it seemed unheard of to see a Jiujitsu stylist lose in mixed martial arts competition. Though today, in this fantastic process of competitive evolution, it might not be the same story—nothing can take away the priceless asset that has opened the eyes of so many.

Its truly inspiring to see that even though jiujitsu isn’t as dominant in the overwhelmingly thriving sport of MMA—all over the globe the art has found a way to escape its massive and  growing shadow and cast its own light to populations all over the world.

Its kind of crazy to see how long Jiujitsu has been overlooked or maybe overshadowed by some of the other arts , such as Kenpo or Muy Thai, that have often been labeled as fierce or ferocious.

Again, a mountain of props for the Jiujitsu! The gentle art that still continues to wow so many has immersed its way into our community to offer good things for practitioners, competitors, and even just for us fans

Rewinding to 15years ago—Jiujitsu had been so impressive because it illustrated an extremely effective way of fighting even more unorthodox than a drunken money.

If anything—it has showed us that there are so many different ways to fight, so many angles to move from, and that even from the bottom victory can be in our hands.

Its thousands of techniques has brought to light intimdating offense, mind blowing defense and the open minded perspective to follow other combat sports in teaching us to float like a butterfly, to sting like a bee, and in true form—be like water.

The spark of Jiujitsu that started for a few has undoubtedly evolved to the day to day fireworks for so many. Cheers to all the martial artists and competitors out there who have embraced Jiujitsu. Respect to all our local academies for carrying it with such dignity. With the impressive performances from all our academies on Guam—it truly is success that knows no prejudice and that has saved,( if not enhanced) so many lives.

At the very least, 15years and most definitely counting…

Thanks for dropping by.

PurebredJiujitsu:Alive&Kicking

Theres is nothing a good day of grappling cant cure!

Jiujitsu is very much alive on Guam. Heres a look into picture day for Guam’s pioneer Jiujitsu Academy…Purebred/LloydIrvinJiujitsu!

ThePeacekeeper:ADifferentTypeofBeltPromotion

TBoogie Anderson offering a token of appreciation and a hats off from fokai for Todd Vance’s POW Program at PurebredUndisputed in SanDiego.

PurebredUnd1sputed:This..is…SPARTA!

www.undisputedusa.com This…is…SPARTA!!! Fokai feels proud and honored to be welcomed into the circle of  this fantastic bunch of folks in SouthernCalifornia.  On any given day here you are bound to encounter live instances of the FokaiCreed. Exhausting the Body, Proceeding the Mind, and Most defintiely Cultivating the Spirit. The Soulf of this gym was crfted by nothing short of Hard Work, Perseverance, and GoodVibrations. Here is A quick stroll through the front doors of PurebredUnd1sputed(3038UniversityAvenue,NorthPark,SAN DIEGO) through the incubation chamber of many of SouthernCalifornia’s modern day gladiators. All the way to the very noble Pugilistic Offensive Warrior tactics program pioneered and populated by battle-proven protectors of our freedom..

Words cant express…ManyThanks and MuchRespect.

RealFighters:POW@U1

Tone,
Just wanted you to see this. Here is a few testimonials of the guys from pow. I have about fifteen sent in so far but i just copy pasted the top few to show you. We talked about how everyone of these guys has a story, here they are.
Its important to know how much good you and fokai are facilitating by allowing me to take up time and space in the gym and giving the guys breaks on prices and helping me with fokai…pass this to rome if appropriate.

06/14/2011
I’ve been in Todd’s program for almost a year now, and it’s has been an awesome learning experience for me. Todd’s program definitely brings veterans together. It motivates all of us to stay healthy, both physically and mentally. His program has also gives us more confidence in the things we encounter in our day to day life. When I first started his program I was not in the same shape I was in when I was in the Marine Corps. At the same time I had problems with my lower back, so at first I had to take it slow. Later, I had a small procedure done on my back, because of this I had to sit out for a while. When I started back up I saw a positive change in myself and also the otherveterans in the program. I also had a little improvement on my lower back, yet still take things at my own pace. This program has also inspired me to work out a bit more. Now, I don’t always have the time to make it out to Todd’s classes, because I have to balance my family life. Sometimes my two girls watch my train. I know that one have found a slight interest in what I do. Like I said the veterans in Todd’s program live a better healthier lifestyle. This program is unlike some of the other veterans establishments were drinking and telling war stories is the thing to do. I think Todd has done an outstanding job in making this program run and keeping it going for all veterans.

My name is and I am a sergeant of the United States Marine Corps. I completed two tours of duty in Iraq (OIF1 and OIF2) with Third Battalion Seventh Marines Weapons Company. After I returned home and eventually separated from the Marines, I battled with alcoholism and other symptoms that stem from PTSD. The top four symptoms I experienced were: isolation, anger/rage, insomnia, and depression. The program that Todd Vance offered targeted these symptoms and it has helped. The group has given me a friend base, which helps with isolation, by holding meaccountable to other veterans (who share my expectations in friends). Also the friends I gained are my security net if I am ever in need, they are my first real support community (outside of my family) I have had since the Marine Corps. The classes will push you to the brink of your being and you have tofind a way to go one-step further. This gives me a vent for my anger as well stress and with both under control, I am not as likely to explode. Lastly the P.O.W. program has helped with my depression by exposing me to the most taxing workups one has to offer, which in turn makes me tired at night and eases my insomnia.

In the short time that I have been training with Todd Vance and the P.O.W. crew my life has taken a significant turn for the better. After being seriously wounded in combat, my military service came to an abrupt end and ptsd, anxiety and depression consumed my life. Though I have come a long way, every day is a struggle and you cannot do it alone. Training under Todd is very therapeutic for me and it has motivated me to better myself both physically and mentally. The camaraderie of P.O.W. is very powerful and something I have been without since leaving active duty. Todd Vance is an excellent coach and mentor who genuinely cares for the welfare of each of his veterans. In addition to great physical exercise, P.O.W. has given me a new drive, motivation and sense of belonging.

Coach Vance is an amazing individual who carries his passion for veterans on his shoulders. More than just a coach and mentor, the values that you learn in the P.O.W. Tactics program can also be applied to all aspects of life. A soulful person with a heart of gold and a true warrior, Coach Vancewill help you find focus and balance in and outside the ring.

i was airborne infantry in the 82nd airborne, i deployed to afghanistan to provide security during the elections as well as be QRF for the RC sector south, i was apart of thelargest and most successful mission besides the invasion, it was w/ 173rd LRS, SF, and my platoon (operation unforgiven). ive experienced small arms, rpg, and sniper fire while in the desert. my platoon took over QRF for the sector cause 173rd took too many casualties an command lost confidence in them. so they brought us into the country after a 5 days notice and we executed our mission to the standard that we would have made the oldest, saltiest WWII vet proud. paragraph 2: from the things i saw and did in that country, it affected me for years later. i had a problem with alcohol and felt useless due to injuries (broken ankle) an illness (psoriasis) from the army which made regular exercise painful and depressing. it took a long time to adjust to the fact that even tho i once could do almost anything i wanted to (afghanistan used to be like that, only 25 of us for weeks hunting down al qaeda through the mountains, surviving off food we stole or bartered from the natives) to have to come back and completely re-wire my train of thought an the way i saw the world. but through the program i have been able to see that im not alone in the way i feel andthat others have been affected worse than I. and though you teach us a violent art, it has always kept me grounded and calmed, and i have been in almost no fights since ive started, while before i would fight every time a drink touched my lips. so far in the past year of the program, i have only smoked 5 cigarettes and have cut my drinking down to one or two beers during casual outings and barely more than that on the times of celebration. your program has giving me a sense of pride an confidence that i felt i had lost when i left my brothers to be a civilian and constantly punished myself that i never went to iraq w them when they deployed shortly under a year later. it’s an abstract way of thinking, i cant exactly tell you why, but fighting with fellow brothers and learning a skill has helped turned my life around and now i am in a position where, its not exactly where i want to be, but i am working in the field i have been trying to get into for years
David Cruiz

I enlisted in the Army at 17 years old in the split operation program. I was stationed in Fort Carson, CO and was assigned in the 3rd Bn.29th Field Artillery unit. I was also deployed to Iraq and was stationed in FOB Prosperity. The P.O.W. team has helped me gain confidence in myself and to be positive. I like it here because of the people I am around and the environment. Its a great place to let go of that negative energy and helps your mind to be clear.

My name is and I was born and raised in Milford, Connecticut. I joined the Army at the age of 18 in 2004 and went to Fort Benning, GA for basic training and Fort Gordon, GA for advanced individual training. I spent my 5years of active duty stationed at Fort Drum, NY. I was deployed to Iraq twice with 2-22 INF, 1BCT, 10th Mountain Division (Baghdad 2005-06, Kirkuk 2007-2008). I ETS’ed in 2009 and joined the Connecticut National Guard, where I deployed to Afghanistan (Mehtar Lam, 2010). I’m currently on inactive reserve status in the National Guard.
Shortly after my deployment to Afghanistan, I began having severe depression and anxiety issues. I had frequent emotional breakdowns and great difficulty managing personal relationships. I sought help at the local Vet Center and VA hospital, where I was encouraged to immerse myself in new hobbies to make new friends, develop a sense of belonging andbetter utilize my free time. I was a high school wrestler, and I had enjoyed training combative and jiu jitsu in the Army, so I decided that joining a gym could help. I began attending some classes at a Renzo Gracie academy in Connecticut, but found it very impersonal, hard to follow, and difficult tostick with.
In June of 2011 I decided to move with some friends out to San Diego, CA to start fresh. I loved San Diego right from the beginning, but my friends didn’t. A month after we all picked up and moved out here with everything we had, the only 3 people I knew in California told me they were moving home. The next day they were gone, and I was left by myself one month into a year lease. Again I felt alone and had depression clouding my mind and my judgement. I was drinking heavily and rarely leaving the apartment.
Then one day in July I was driving down University Ave in North Park and I saw Undisputed. It looked interesting and I decided it was worth checking out. After one trial class I was hooked. I started coming every day. At first I could barely last 15 minutes into an hour class a few times a week. By the end of the month I was coming for 2-3 hours a day for jiu jitsu, boxing, muay thai, and MMA classes. I stopped drinking altogether so I could train more often and I began feeling much better. I knew one of my former roommates had a cousin that was living in town, and when Icontacted him he just happened to be looking for a new place. He was another Army vet and we had a lot in common, so he moved in and things started looking up.
Then in August, I heard about a group of people from my gym taking a trip a few hours upstate to support some of Undisputed’s fighters at an MMA event. I decided to tag along. One of the guys fighting for our gym was Todd Vance, and he fought a very impressive fight. I asked one of the guys who he was, and he told me the story of how this guy had organized a team of veterans who trained MMA together at the gym a few times a week. The next week I decided to try it out. The training was great, tailored to fighters of all levels. But even better was the camaraderie. All the guys were very welcoming, and the group emphasizes brotherhood (which it seems has become a sort of unofficial mantra) above all else. Everyone is accountable to the rest of the group and members are encouraged to look after one another,which keeps everyone out of trouble and on the straightened arrow. I’ve only been a part of the POW for a few weeks now but I can say with certainty that my life is better for knowing Todd and the rest of these guys. I started bringing my roommate to classes and now he’s hooked too. It’s good to have support and a network of friends who’ve been through some of the same things that I have. The POW definitely makes me a better fighter, but more importantly it makes me a more complete person.

Joined the Air Force as Security Forces (MP) in December 17 2002 and got out in Febuary 16 2009. Did 3 tours to Iraq in support of OIF and OEF. After my third deployment and witnessing several incidents of bad leadership I decided to get out and further my education in hopes of returning back to the Air Force as an Officer. When I got out the first year was great and I felt great, I started school, joined an MMA gym in La Mesa and began my quest as a college student/MMA apprentice. After jumping around from several MMA gyms I found Infinity BJJ in Santee, CA where my love and knowledge for Brazilian Jiu Jitsu expanded. After a few months in school and training I found myself in a dark hole. For a while everything just didnt seemed right. I asked myself what I was doing out of the military, I kept asking myself if i had made the right decision and when will I ever be donewith school. I gave up on training and I gave up on school. After a few attempts to get back to training I finally did it and signed up to fight mysecond fight for Epic Fighting (my first fight went bad and was not as prepare as i should have been) sometime in March. At the last minute my opponent was unable to compete, I kept on training and decided to jump down on my weightfrom 185 to 170 lbs and fight on the following Epic Fighting at 170 lbs. Mygirlfriend Alexis had mentioned to me before that her fellow college friend was also a veteran and a MMA fighter who ran a program especially for military veterans. So i decided to give it a shot and started training with them. I can honestly say that I have never met a group of such great people who have the same passion as I do for this sport and deal with the same problems that I do. Before meeting up with Todd Vance and his POW MMA Team I had no friends or at least any who I can relate to, every day I come in to train with these outstanding group of individuals my day is always better. I no longer feel alone and I have a great group of friends that helped me out get ready for my fight. After training with Todd Vance and the POW Team I was more mentally ready than my first fight and physically ready than ever before. I looked up to Todd Vance and members of the team such as Matthew Zbiek, Jay Jackson, Shane Hanner for guidance and advice for the fight. When the fight night approached and I was walking down towards the cage and my walkout song “La Grange” by ZZ Top was playing I can hear my fellow teammates cheering me on made me feel really comftarble. After the bell rang and the fight began I kept telling myself that I have to finish the fight on top because my teammates came to see me do work and not crumple up. After every round finished I could still hear my friends cheering me on which gave me the last burst of energy to finish the fight and on top. Even though I lost my fight I ended up going home with the fight the night trophy which couldnt have been possible without the help of Todd Vance and his crew. In reality to me the question is not what the team has done for me but what can I do to support and help out Todd Vance and his POW Team. All I can say is that I hope to keep on representing well Todd Vance and his POW Team on and off the cage. Thanks POW Team and thanks ToddVance

CultivatingTheSpirit:GUAMARTXHIBIT

Embedded from www.kuam.com. a video in depth of 2011 GuamArtExhibit at the OutrigggerPlaza. GoodStuff.

Onra:September1st,2011

Hafa Adai,

On August 28th and 27th,2011 under the supervision of Mr. Larry Papadopoulos, aFILA Instructor and World Grappling & Pankration Committee member– 8 Participants from several Jiujitsu and mixed martial arts academies from around the island sat in for 2days of in-depth lectures on the various regulations, tournament procedures, refereeing systems, and on mat techniques to receive FILA Referee certifications in the courses of Pankration, No-G Grappling and Combat Grappling.

FOR THIS WEEKEND’s COMPETITORSWeighIns for the Guam Grappling Qualifiers for Cadets, Juniors and veterans will be on September 2nd, 2011 from 6pm to 8pm at the University of Guam Fieldhouse .On the next day the tournament will run at the same location from 10am-5pm

A big congratulations again goes out to Josh Calvo who submitted his opponent in just 34seconds of the first round in the main event of Rumble on the Ridge19 at the SnowqualmieCasino in Wahington on August 27th

It’s going to be another night of exciting fights on September 9th in the CNMI as 17 matches are scheduled for competition in Trench Wars’ Rites Of Passage 11: Onra on at Saipan World Resort’s Royal Taga Hall

It’s a paramount date for August 18th,2011 as The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) announced a multi-year broadcast deal on in a joint press conference with FOX Sports bringing live MMA programming to FOX starting eary to mid November of this year. Coincidentally August 18th, 2011 marked the ten year anniversary for Guam’s first locally promoted MMA event Jungle Rules 1:War in the Pacific.

The 1st several editions of the UltimateFighting Championships introduced most of the island to the Octagon, and SuperBrawl did a great job of introducing Micronesia to live MMA entertainment with UOGFieldhouse sellout events . Arguably, however, it might have been our first locally-promoted event that really got the wheels turning in industry for a good part of Guam’s recent and accumulated combat sports ventures. .

It took a lot of work for infant promoters to gather fighters, sponsors, and fans and bring them to an event that sought out to deliver live MMA entertainment with local branding. It took almost just as much effort living up to the guidelines of a very-diffiicut-to-deal-with Guam Boxing and Wrestling Commision. But ultimately it was the collective efforts of our island’s faith and love for Mixed Martial Arts that filled the University of Guam Fieldhouse past capacity, with outstanding fights, and not one displaced incident of violence among the more than 4500 in attendance on that very eventful night.

Melchor Manibusan made his pro MMA ,debut, Kid Yamamoto fought on Guam, and and among many other things –the tone had been set in both fight talent and event choreography for local residents to take by the reigns and soar with the different potentials of live and local Mixed Martial Arts event promotions.

10years later and Its uplifting to see most of the major faces of that event today still so instrumental in the notable success that has come from this industry’s ventures since the arrival of that monumental event. Though they might be making different headlines, and happily to even larger numbers, our industry today is in the hands of a good supply of the experience and momentum filled from the efforts of those who have been involved from the get-go.

10 years have passed and this industry has endured many rough roads ranging from noteworthy gym rivalries, two questionnable professional competitive martial arts Commissions, the fall of some of our local champions, and many justified arguments towards local MMA’s legitimacy as sport…

10Years of controversy has passed yet among our defeats we have found even more victories defending local soil and in proudly representing our islands in faraway lands. 10years of controversy have passed and we have graduated above the though-still-existing gym rivalries and 10 years of controversy have passed for us to leave the priorities of identifying our island’s toughest man in the wakes of finding for our island a dignified position in the world arena.

10years of controversy has passed yet this gas tank is still full as Competitive Martila Arts continues to are cultivate a brotherhood with our neighboring islands, and we are still in many ways to promote locally and even to promote abroad to provide opportunity…

Opportunity for the promoters, opportunity for the athletes, and opportunity for a growing collection of fans to hopefully archive another ten years and more of even greater opportunity of more strength, and even more honor to the growing numbers that are hearing Guam’s voice and feeling the percussion of our anthem through our athletes more widespread and stronger than ever; our promoters, well-networked and more driven than before; and the goals hard-sought yet more accessible than believable… from this tiny dot in the Pacific.

Though we may never totally convince the masses of the legitimacy of this sport, though we may make many mistakes along the way—over the past ten years of controversy and for the ten years of controversy that even might be ahead, lets not forget that we have been able to and must continue to extract positivity from competitive combat sport and from professional mixed martial arts competition

Thanks, Respect, and Cheers for all who in one way or another are helping bring this vehicle forward. Obviously we still have a long way to go.

Great if just for the legitimacy of our sport, but additionally and even moreso, for the legacy of our islands.

Thanks for dropping by.

FokaiIreland:LiveStyles2011

LiveStyles Fest is an international Hip Hop Festival that took place in Cork Ireland over the June Bank Holiday Weekend, 2011.

Improve!TheMendesBros.HighlightReel

Guilherme and Rafael Mendes are pushing the pace and accelerating the World Jiujitsu game and spreading the good word. We’re proud and honored to be a part of such contribution to the sport, the lifestyle, and way of Life for Jiujitsu

Onra:RespectForGuamLeaders

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