ONRA:November18th,2010

Hafa Adai,

A Big Congratulations goes to Guam’s Bryant “theRock”Pangelinan of the Crispim BJJ Competition team as he collects for Guam his second World Championship securing a gold medal in the Masters Heavyweight Brownbelt division and silver in the Masters Open Weight Brown Belt Division.

Congrats also goes to former Guam High School Wrestling noteable—Zachary Rapadas who secured a gold medal in the Men’sPurple Belt featherweight division and to Maureen de Guzman for securing a silver medal in the women’s lighweight division of the GracieBarra Compnet 7 Tournament in California last weekend .

Guahan Warriors and Comquest’s Ronnie Borja lives up to the hype with his most recent MMA victory of formerly undefeated Micah Tobias of the Spike22Academy as Justin Cruz proves without a doubt that he is Guam’s Undisputed 135lb. Champion in what is being considered to be a very successful PXC21 held at the Marriot Hotel on November 12th.

Team Predator’s Nate Flores of Saipan fights valiantly but gets submitted 2:52seconds into the first round in his fight for the UrbanRealityCombatChallenge featherweight title in the Philippines on Novemebr 13th, in URCC18Relentless.

Welcome Back to Guam Marcos Olivera of the AbuDhabi Emirates BJJ Team. He will be hosting Classes at GTT Paradise Fitness from November 15th to the 19th with fellow BJJ World Champion, Carol De Lazzer.

The Purebred/lloydIrvin Jiujitsu Academy will be welcoming guest instructor and AbuDhabi World Pro2010 OpenWeight and 83kg. Champion Claudio Calassans of Atos BJJ in Sau Paulo Brazil, from November 29th to December 3rd.

Guam Jiujitsu is hoping for competitors to highlight the next MarianasoOpen Jiujitsu and Submission Grappling tournament in the men’s purple belt and men’s brown belt openweight divisions on December 4th at the Phoenix Center.

It took an off-island promoter to introduce us to the sport and it was years between events when local promoters got their ball in motion. 2010 and less than 15years later—all of the above in less than 30 days…

Its very interesting to observe the fabric that has been sewn with all the strings and ties of our ever-so-active Mariana Island Combats Sports Schedule.
In what used to be events so far apart and with spaces so wide in between—we are now at a completely revamped product in our island’s impressively busy combat sports atmosphere. From the events mentioned above we can gather that Guam;s outreach in Mixed Martial Arts and Brazilian Jiujitsu has reached as far as Brazil and the Emirates. That while local events are developing smaller gyms and smaller gyms are developing more quality fighters, former Guam residents and traveling residents combined continue to announce our flag in the worlds expanding atmosphere.

Saipan has risen valiantly as Guam’s descendant in World competition BJJ and MMA and is already industrially and athletically competitive with its predecessor. In this symbiosis we have found a self-sustainable industry with inter-ilsnd competition.

Yet even with that fact and with a governing commission that handicaps Guams footsteps in international MMA—our athletes continue to aim higher and shoot beyond the scoreboards of our local industry.

Talent from abroad knocking on our doors to get in and phonecalls from abroad for our talent to perform and instruct overseas, calls from around the globe from MMA champions and celebrities standing in line to visit Guam’s training paradise, World Champions and World Industry movers and shakers, and local MMA industry-ventured professionals working into the back offices of international promotions while reliable word hits the streets of Guam fighters advancing closer to their chances at becoming the Next Ultimate fighter… Surely the positive attributes of our combat sports atmosphere will make good sense of some disappointments in our trails such as: The fork in the road for GuamBrazilian Jiujitsu and Mixed Martial Arts, a questionnable commission as new sherriff in town , and financial setbacks our economy.

But all in all, with credit to all and discredit to none—it is awesome that we are all doing what we feel is best for an evolving and flourishing product.

While the wheels in our heads go round and round–Our breath of Martial Arts is strong and our fire for competition is burning. In the crossroads of victory and defeat; of redcorner, and blue-corner; of Professional and amateur—the epicenter of Micronesian Island Martial Arts at 13.N/144.E has created shockwaves across the Marianas that is shaking the charts of competitive Martial Art’s Richter scales across the globe.

From the backyard to the big screen—we have come far. With gas in our engine, surely we can look forward and inward from the roads that lie ahead.

From your proud co-passenger in a very big car—in 3rd gear and revving.

Thanks for dropping by.