Seven victorious in Art of War

Seven mixed martial arts athletes emerged victorious in Saturday’s Art of War II All Islands Grappling/Submission Tournament held at the Trench Tech Purebred Saipan Gym’s new home in San Antonio.

More than 30 grapplers and submission artists joined the one-day event where titles in seven weight categories were offered. The weight divisions were divided into the bantamweight, featherweight, super lightweight, lightweight, welterweight, middleweight, and heavyweight.

Trench Tech’s Shane “Pika Boo”Alvarez led the list of winners when he won the gold in the bantamweight division, beating Team Guam’s Joel Valencia by points, 13-2.

Gracie Barra’s Jay “Taby” Muna settled for the bronze when he defeated Guam’s Guy Blanco by choke-hold with 2:18 left in the clock.

Chris Layug completed a Trench Tech sweep in the 131-140 lb. featherweight division when he defeated teammate Jay “Furbs” Santos in points, 10-0.

“Badd”Brad Palacios, who is also from Trench Tech, won the bronze after beating Ellis Miller of Gracie Barr via triangle choke submission with 4:32 gone in the clock.

James Fleming prolonged Trench Tech’s success when he blanked Zogai’s Buddy Igitol, 4-0, in the gold medal match in the super lightweight class while Trench Tech’s Sixtus Aquino scored a 9-5 win over T.J. Castro in the battle for the bronze.

Veteran MMA fighter Giovanni “Palaxi” Sablan breezed through a 12-2 win over Fasi Jesse in the battle for gold in the lightweight class, while Nathan “Nats” Flores of Gracie Barra settled for the bronze after using a triangle choke to force Robert Salas into submission with 3:15 left in the clock.

Ken “Kamakazi” Tanzawa led another Trench Tech sweep in the welterweight division squeezing out a 12-10 win over teammate Nick Schumake in their gold medal game.

Tom Kim, another Trench Tech warrior, pulled off a 4-0 win over Rusty Ada to settle for the bronze.

Syl “The Deal” Teregeyo ended Trench Tech’s gold medal rush when he needed six minutes to score a 2-0 win over Jason Tarkong in the middleweight divisions’ gold medal bout.

Trench Tech’s Kyle Peterson won the bronze when he forced Gracie Barra’s Pete Mendiola to tap out in 3:21 via arm-lock submission.

Kelvin “The Big Hit” Fitial remains one of the top heavyweight division fighters, winning the gold by beating Joe Ocampo of Trench Tech via rear-naked choke with 3:14 used on the clock.

Team Xtreme’s “Kill” Bill Saures pulled off an overtime win over Anthony Sablan winning in OT via coin toss.

In the superfight with gi, Trench Tech Purebred Gym co-instructor Tetsuji Kato scored an 12-2 win over The Pound Guam’s Luis “The Shredder” Blanco to advance into the superfight finale.

In the no gi category, Roman “Sacho” Dela Cruz of Fokai Industries advanced to the superfight after a 9-5 decision against Carlson Gracie Guam’s Gabe Baker to earn the right of facing Kato.

Kato won the final match using an arm lock submission to force Dela Cruz to tap out with 3:10 in the clok.

Dela Cruz, Blanco, Baker, and top MMA fighter Mike Fowler were the guest referees in the one-day grappling/submission tournament.