Onra:February14th,2008

 

Hafa Adai People of Guam,To set things off, Congratulations to Maria Dunn  for her gold medal victory in the Oceania’s Womens Freestyle Wrestling Championships this past weekend. If not mistaken, this win brings her one step closer to a possible seat in the Summerl Oympics to be held in Beijing later this year.Go Dunner! Were here to support.Saipan’s at it again with this weekend’s “Rites of Passage: The Uproar” to be held a the TrenchTech/Purebred Saipan Academy in Garapan.16fights and tons of new talent. Next weekend the CopaDeMarianas BJJ/Submission Grappling Tournament will be held at the Phoenix Center in Mangilao. The guys at PXC just wrapped up another PrebaHao 3weeks ago and are just weeks away from PXC14:Evolution next month. It seems that the winds this year are calling for another Fury, but for now the guys at Leverage are staying busy with MMA Cultivating projects. Most recently,with their involvement in next weekends Kickboxing event, “Kollision1:WayofThe Fist” to be held in Cork Ireland on Saturday.

 

 Since were on the subject of Kickboxing, Patrick Ayuyu will have another shot in K-1 on April9th of this year in Hiroshima. Plus, word ont he street is that we should have Guam’s first representative in K-1:Heros by sometime late this summer.Significant events and milestone achievements have been happening from all corners on the islands, even from corners off the islands. The people I work with try to be as informed as possible with key happenings with Guam and Marianas Combatives. Through this column, were hoping to keep our viewers updated and cnscious of these things so we can collectively piece these things together and hopefully help present and nourish a dignified product in Martial Arts and combat sports training and competition. I guess were just doing our part, as are others, for the longevity and cultivation of something that we might not be the best at but, nevertheless, we really respect.It seems that almst everybody is online these days. Id like to bring to light three locally engineered websites in the interest of service to the public and the dedicated following of our local fighter athletes and their industry, For their discussion and insight, and their well-trafficed forum: www.Shoyoroll.com;       for their video and archives, and their MMAExclusive website, www.pxc.tv; and for Marianas Global and up to date and direct content, TheDailyNews on www.fokai.tv .

 Local MMA details plus…all at the click of your fingertips.So turn around and tell a friend.

So to finish things off, Lets talk more about the Copa De Marianas…Highlight of this event? In my opinion, its always great to watch our islands top guys in competition but Im really loking forward to our youth and juniors division.

 

Some really good talent coming from here. All the combined efforts of promoters, competitors, and fan and sponsor support are opening the floodgates of opportunity for our youth. With all the evolving instructors, programs, and now-developing competition incentives; our youth are gaining better overall position to build upon the milestones of achievements from some of our islands fighter athlete pioneers whove made their mark locally and ventured overseas like John Calvo, Melchor Manibusan, and Caesar Whitt. Or even further back, to echo and even go beyond the acheivements and efforts of our earlier pioneers like Ben Galarpe, Rick Blas, and Jimmy Ferrante, among others. The bottom line is that combat sports here, more than ever, is moving progressively and not regressively in time. Something to be proud and conscious of, once again, in the interests of the bigger picture.

With the recent catapult of our islands into international competition,its up to all of us to capitalize on the opportunities that currently exist for us to create and develop progressive and current World Championship endroads for our serious aspiring fighter athletes, (and there are quite a few) to eventually be at or near pace with the worlds best.

Big goals, of course like all things, Easier said than done. But strong in the Faith.

Hoping to see you at the Copa…