Trench Tech may restart MMA events 2nd quarter

Students at Trench Tech Purebred Gym listen to their sensei during an instructional session. (Contributed Photo)

Mixed martial arts fans don’t need to wait long for local promotions to restart again, as Trench Tech may finally host an MMA event in the second quarter of 2020.

Trench Tech founder Cuki Alvarez said they are looking at an April or May relaunch of their popular mixed martial arts events.

“We are currently awaiting confirmation from our major sponsors—IT&E and Miller Lite. Once we get the green light then we plan on bringing back MMA action by late April or early to mid-May. In the meantime, nothing’s locked in stone,” he told Saipan Tribune.

Alvarez said it’s been more than a year and a half since Trench Tech hosted an MMA event and the main culprit for the inactivity was the destruction brought by Super Typhoon Yutu, which struck Saipan and Tinian in October 2018.

“Yutu really caused havoc on the whole thing. Hotels were booked because of [Federal Emergency Management Agency personnel], rent-a-cars were destroyed, and of course the sheer process of recovery throughout the islands just didn’t line up with holding an event when people were more focused on rebuilding their lives,” he said.

Alvarez added that Trench Tech was supposed to have Rites of Passage 24 on October 2018, but Yutu came and they ended up cancelling.

“Prior to ROP 24, the last event was April of 2018,” he said.

While no MMA events were held, Alvarez kept himself busy by training his students at Trench Tech Purebred Gym in Garapan.

“My gym remained open and at least my guys have been keeping pretty active, training wise. We totally focused on BJJ this past year and a half and have been traveling to Guam and Japan to compete,” said Alvarez, who himself is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belter.

He earlier said Trench Tech was planning to hold BJJ classes for children in the 5-8 age group. The program may start once Trench Tech has at least 10 enrollees.

Once 10 children avail of the program, Alvarez and his team will start holding regular Gi classes every Tuesday and Thursday from 5pm to 6pm. Prior BJJ experience is not required and parents are also welcome to watch their children during the classes.

Alvarez encouraged parents to enroll their children in the program, as BJJ has a lot of benefits to the child’s wellbeing, physically, mentally, and emotionally.

For more information on the BJJ classes for children, call Trench Tech at 670-783-4662.