FokaiYouthMovement:AnnieBrownBJJ
March 2, 2010 by admin
Filed under BJJ Stuff, FokaiIreland
Congratulations to Under14Champion AnnieBrown in the UK BJJ Premiere Championships
Chokefest: BJJ andTheFokaiSoCalProject
February 26, 2010 by admin
Filed under BJJ Stuff, FokaiCombatUNit, SoCalProject
AintNothingButAGiThang!
GuamMMA:TheGoodAndTheBad
Tuck Headed for Abu Dhabi
By Eric Palacios • For Pacific Daily News • February 25, 2010
By Eric Palacios • For Pacific Daily News • February 25, 2010
Growing up, Tuck wasn’t certain what his future held, he said. He had some options, but nothing really stood out. Now 25, Tuck is more focused in life, with his goals, and on where he wants to go. Tuck is now training for one of the biggest competitions of his life — the prestigious Abu Dhabi Professional Jiu-Jitsu Cup Championships, which is scheduled for April 15-17. “I will be competing in the 72-kilogram blue belt division,” Tuck said. “I trained out there for six weeks last year, and I’m taking all the knowledge that I gained and I’m training harder every day now.” Tuck worked tirelessly, turned heads and was invited to compete in the world-class event. The best Brazilian jiu-jitsu warriors will be competing in different weight and belt classes, including some of the world’s best mixed martial arts fighters from the Ultimate Fighting Championship. “As a single parent and an only girl child, this is something that I would never dream of,” said Vangie Cruz-Quintanilla, Tuck’s mother. “It’s something that I would never have dreamed of for him, but I’m glad that he found his passion. I always pray for his safety, and the safety of the other fighters because as mothers we never want to see our child get hurt.” MMA, including Brazilian jiu-jitsu, has been good for Tuck. He’s traveled to different places, built new and lasting friendships in the process and grown because of the experiences. “The comparison of being in the sport when I first started and now, I think, is that I’ve matured as a fighter tremendously,” Tuck said. “In the beginning it was more of a hobby and a way to get a good workout and just have fun with friends. Now, it’s another drive in life for me because of everything that I’ve been through Tuck understands that the sport is dangerous, one where competitors get injured, sometimes seriously. But it’s this perilous nature that drives him, almost coerces him, to be better than he was the day before, and more importantly, better than his next opponent.
Last fight in Saipan
Tuck’s most recent MMA fight was last November at an event in Saipan. He was matched against one of the Philippines’ top mixed martial artists, who also boasted an unblemished professional record. It took all of eight seconds for Tuck to knock out Eduard Folayang. A thundering right cross caught Folayang cleanly and put him out before he even hit the canvas. “My instructor, my coach, ‘Big’ John Calvo, asked me if I wanted to fight him. I was kind of undecided because our team had just split up and we didn’t have training partners or a training facility,” Tuck said. “But we pushed through and I took the fight on three weeks’ notice. Luckily, I was still in shape. I relied on the tools that I already had and just sharpened them.” The victory over Folayang, like the four before it, is a stepping stone, Tuck said, all part of the big scheme of things. “He was a champion in the Philippines and he was the No. 1 fighter there. I believed in my trainer and I believed in myself, and it’s the hardest fight I’ve ever trained for in such a short amount of time. The work ethic we put in shot me up another level in my game as a whole. Honestly, I was excited and nervous because he’s a good fighter, a really tough guy.” “But I was ready to go five rounds if we had to.”
Focused on BJJ
For now, though, Tuck is concentrating on Abu Dhabi and jiu-jitsu, a component of MMA that he admittedly loves the most. “People from all over the world are having trials. Whoever wins the trials, tournament organizers will pay for all expenses. That’s the benefit of winning a trial — you’re treated like a world-class athlete,” Tuck said. “As for me, I’m like a ninja in the system. I’d like to compete in the trials so I wouldn’t have to pay for anything, but I’m taking the invite and paying my way. I’m really paying for the experience.”
100 percent
“My main focus is this competition. When I make goals, I don’t make too many at one time because I don’t want to focus 50 percent on BJJ and 50 percent on other things. It has to be 100 percent jiu-jitsu,” Tuck said. “When this is done, then I’ll focus 100 percent on MMA or something else.” This work ethic and dedication, Tuck said, is in his genes.
No giving up
Being a single mother, Cruz-Quintanilla had her hands full during her son’s younger years. But giving up, she said, was never an option. “It definitely wasn’t easy raising a son alone,” Cruz-Quintanilla said. “Thankfully, I had the support of my family and many friends. That’s one of the best parts of life here on Guam — almost everyone is willing to help out.” Cruz-Quintanilla said that her brother, Frank Cruz, and his wife, Loretta Cruz, played huge roles in raising Tuck. “They really helped me with Jonathan, and Frank was a father figure to him,” she said. “They’ve always been there for me and to help my mom. If it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be the man that I am today, and I wouldn’t have the opportunities that I have today. They are my guardian angels and I want to thank them, my family, and my mom,” Tuck said. “Especially my mom — she’s been my best friend since I was born.”
MOST HATED
A local mixed martial arts fighter with a criminal history has been accused of two unrelated, violent attacks that allegedly left victims bruised and bleeding only two weeks apart. Alex James Castro, 29, has been in and out of the ring and the courtroom over the last decade. Now he faces two more criminal cases in court.
Castro allegedly pistol-whipped a man, taped his mouth shut and demanded $3,000 a month on Jan. 24, according to court documents. Thirteen days later, Castro allegedly beat another man with a fire extinguisher in a Tumon bar. Both incidents began in the same plaza of bars and clubs across the street from the Hyatt Regency Guam. The plaza is only a short walk from the Tumon police precinct. Yesterday, Guam Police Department spokesman John Edwards did not answer questions about the case. Edwards confirmed he received questions that were e-mailed to him yesterday afternoon but had provided no answers as of 8 p.m. At this point it is unclear if police pursued or apprehended Castro after the Jan. 24 incident. It is also unclear how or why he was free and able to allegedly commit another violent crime two weeks later. He was arrested last Friday. On Jan. 24, Castro, his victim and two other men went from Club Hana in Tumon to Castro’s residence to “hang out,” according to a Superior Court declaration signed by Assistant Attorney General William Pole. Once inside, Castro allegedly drew a gun and allegedly “pistol whipped” his victim, the declaration states. An unidentified man held the victim while Castro allegedly struck him over and over. Police officers later noticed bruising and swelling on the victim’s eyes, nose and ribs, the declaration states. The victim was stripped and his mouth was taped shut, the documents state. He was allegedly hit more than 10 times — sometimes with a gun, sometimes with a fist, documents state. “… Alex Castro demanded $3,000 a month and (the victim) agreed so the beating would stop,” the declaration states. “(The victim) further reported that he had $300 taken from him that night.”Julius Santos was at the residence during the beating, according to the court documents. Santos couldn’t be reached for comment yesterday. Santos hasn’t been charged with a crime and the Superior Court documents attribute no wrongdoing to Santos.After the attack, Santos confirmed the victim’s allegations against Castro with police. According to court documents, Santos told police that Castro had a handgun, took money from the victim and demanded monthly payments. Regardless, Castro was still loose two weeks later, when he allegedly attacked another man at Club Hana. According to separate court documents, Castro allegedly struck his second victim with a fire extinguisher on Feb. 6, causing him to topple to the ground. “At that point, Alex James Castro went to stomp on his head,” states a Superior Court declaration signed by Assistant Attorney General Shane Black. The victim was left in “excruciating pain and was pleading,” the declaration states.
Criminal history
CHARGES
Alex James Castro has been charged in the Superior Court of Guam for two separate alleged attacks over a two-week period.
Jan. 24 incident
Feb. 6 incident
FokaiIreland:UKPremierBJJChampionships
February 25, 2010 by admin
Filed under BJJ Stuff, FokaiIreland
FokaiInThePhilippines:Rollapalooza5
WelcomeBackCrazyMike
February 17, 2010 by admin
Filed under BJJ Stuff, FokaiCombatUNit
CrazyMikefowler is back online. Visit his blog at
ONRA:February11th,2010
Hafa Adai, Fighter athletes out of the Spike 22 Academy return from Taiwan with 2wins and a loss in Pacific Rim Organized Fighting on February 7th. Good luck to Saipan fighter athletes as Rites of Passage introduces Korea to CNMI MMA competition as they join the force to help Haiti in donating part of their event proceeds to the cause with their event this weekend. Jesse Taitano returns to Japan on March 23rd climb his ranking in Professional Shooto. In the absence and incubation of local ProfessionalMMA competition, , the MFL i s seeing a host of MMA competitors taking action from the cage to the field in local football. In our landmarking days of competitive BJJ and MMA, Guam’s highly evolved collective combat sports community and industry might want to offer its respect for a long time competitive martial arts advocate and Guam’s Brazilian Jiujitsu and Mixed Martial Arts pioneer. From our island’s earliest days of Brazilian Jiujitsu secret training to the internationally respected island Guam has established itself in international BJJ and MMA today, from the drawing board to his role in Guam’s first locally promoted MMA event promotion, as competitor,cornerman and almost everything else in between–Longtime instructor and martial arts advocate -John Calvo has received his Brazilian Jiujitsu black belt under Marcos Oliveira and Carlos Santos fronm EMIRATES TEAM (ABU-DHABI COMBAT CLUB). As our island’s third locally produced BJJ blackbelt ( Dan O’Connor received his black belt training off-island) thatCalvo has been a significant figure as one of the spearhead figures whove laid the foundation for a more sound infrastructure that has provided us with a consistently evolving entity in Martial arts training and industry. Much respect for the local fighter who first showed Guam that our people could win with armbars, chokes, and true technique aganst overseas NoHoldsarred Compettiion(NHB). Reflecting on some of the things Calvo has accomplished in a truly international and very eventful MMA venture–an invitation into the world’s most prestigious AbuDhabi Combat Championships grappling tournament, a sincere inquiry for participation in the at-the-time leader in World MMA entertainment PrideFighting Championships, an opportunity to compete against the at-the-time UFC World Champion Dan Severn–we can say that we had come very far even in our earliest days of the world-expanding MMA industry. What has been very interesting is the growing ambition that has turned into opportunity among Mariana Island fighter-athletes since NHB’ Competition’s debut in Guam almost a decade and a half later. with an island’s sincere respect and admiration for Professional MMA competition, our athletes have not only immersed themselves into the larger mix of world competition. Our islanders have world also established significant roles in the world industry in the likes of Richard Chou as the matchmaker for Strikeforce and local clothing company Shoyoroll gracing the uniforms of world champion athletes in highly broadcasted competition (to name a few). The long-term uphill challenge for a hand raised in victory of competition has respectfully offered, in its process a multi-pillared structure in a true rise of our islands, in and through the BJJ and MMA competition industry. Our imprint abroad illustrates that the efforts of the few in the past are being celebrated by the success of the many today. With the industry pointed in the right direction,(and this always demands attention) imagine what the efforts of the growing number of many can provide. Rooted, Dedicated, and focused–We are capable of massive things. Congratulations Calvo, Good Luck Taitano, Great Job Saipan. And For everyone, at the very least:Respect. Thanks for dropping by
MartialArts:AMessageFromLloydIrvin
February 4, 2010 by admin
Filed under BJJ Stuff, FokaiCombatUNit
Many people laughed a couple years ago when I
introduced 18 yr old JT “Spiderman” Torres to
the grappling World when I said that he’ll become
one of the greatest American BJJ Competitors of
all time!
If you’ve been following JT, you know that he
wants to compete against the best in the World
in BJJ and as awarded by Gracie Magazine, they
voted Michael Langhi the #1 BJJ fighter of 2009.
In 2009 Langhi won everything possible ending the
season as the Leve Black Belt World Champion.
Little did JT know that in less than 7 months
after getting his black belt at the tender age
of 19 that he would get to face Michael Langhi.
You can see the match right now at the link below
The score ended 4-4 Langhi had 3 advantages and
2 minus advantages, while JT had 2 advantages
and 1 minus advantage.
I’m going to put my do a voice over on this match
when I return from the coaching one of my guys at
the UFC this weekend. I want you to see exactly
what we planned, what went right based on our plan,
what went wrong etc.
As I’ve said before we need to compete against all
of the top guy as soon as possible, to collect as
much data as possible. For our purpose this match
was perfect for us, since no one ‘ever’ passes’
Langhi’s guard, we needed to find out if we could
sweep him, we needed to find out it he could sweep
JT, we needed to find out if Langhi could pass
JT’s guard, if we could pass his guard, how he
would attempt to get advantages, if we could
score an advantage from specific positions.
One thing for sure this match has increased JT’s
confidence to a all new level, the one spot you’ll
see JT hesitate in the match, I promise you that
he’ll never hesitate again like that, we will
eliminate that this week.
Once again, for those that haven’t heard my
spill already, I’m not showing you JT to brag,
but to show you how anything is possible if you
do the correct things, to show you the information
that I’m sending you by email ‘really works’, this
is what we do, to me this isn’t a game!
I want to help as many people as possible
throughout the World, no matter what team
you’re on, no matter who you represent, to
me it just doesn’t matter. If you love
grappling, I want to help you get batter.
I want to show you exactly how we prepare for
competition, how we train, how we drill, how
we do everything.
I also want to thank you for trusting me enough
to allow me to help you in your grappling career.
Lloyd Irvin aka The Grappling Renegade
Forever The King OF Leg Locks
Lloyd Irvin’s Martial Arts Academy
6333 Old Branch Ave #302
Camp Springs, MD 20748
USA
PointOfView:CrazyMikeFowler
January 25, 2010 by admin
Filed under BJJ Stuff, FokaiCombatUNit
FokaiCombatUnit:MiguelAyuyu
January 24, 2010 by admin
Filed under BJJ Stuff, FokaiCombatUNit
MiguelAyuyu of the CarlsonGracieJiujitsu GuamChapter CompetitionTeam
