04 Nov ONRA:November4th,2010

We should use Guam’s influence in BJJ, MMA

By Roman Dela Cruz • For Pacific Daily News • November 4,2010

This past weekend in Saipan, Trench Warz13 pulled off an outstanding event showcasing talents from the U.S., Japan, Guam, Saipan and Tinian. Meanwhile, Joshua Calvo found his first mixed martial arts defeat via guillotine-choke to the undefeated Lyle Beerbohm in Rumble on the Ridge 14 at the Snoqualmie Resort in Washington. Good luck to Guam’s Herman Torrado, formerly of GroundFu/Spike 22 Yona — the mixed martial arts instructor from San Diego’s Purebred Undisputed is en route to Las Vegas today for a chance at becoming Guam’s next star in “The Ultimate Fighter.” Premier XTreme Combat 21 is on deck for Nov. 12 at the Guam’s Marriot Hotel, and Saipan’s Nate Flores of Predator Combat is heading to the Philippines for the Urban Reality Combat Challenge (URCC18: Relentless) for his chance to capture the featherweight title on Nov. 13.

Last week, many of us found it a pleasure to read of Richard Chou’s evolution to becoming an MMA industry world figurehead. Years before we read of Patrick Ayuyu’s fighting in the K1 Grand Prix and another year we read about Joe Duarte making the spot in the first season of “The Ultimate Fighter.” This year we are finding that Guam-originated company Shoyoroll is among the leaders in the world for Brazilian jiujitsu kimono manufacturing. How many other merits of success (and failure) are Guamanians going to establish in the nooks and crannies of this industry? And, when are we going to exercise these resources to their capacities?

Reflecting on where we have been eventually leads us to questions of where we might go. Though we can never speak surely about the future — something is for certain, and that is that the Mariana Islands are well-connected in the world of (mixed) martial arts.

Compared to days before, though the local industry may not seem to have its same spectator appeal, it nonetheless, continues to make its impact on a much-larger-than-Guam observing audience.

With so many different achievements in MMA and BJJ events around the world, with many of our people getting involved in the industry as well as in competition, and with the undying support of the many on island that continue to support our hungry and thirsty industry — it is only a matter of time before we find a method to further escort our efforts to a larger pedestal and connect the dots to really illustrate the majesty of the island’s collective and competitive martial arts bigger picture.

Slowly but surely.

Thanks for dropping by.