Trench Tech’s new home excites Cuki

Trench Tech Purebred Saipan Gym co-owner and co-instructor Cuki Alvarez is excited about their new home as they try to further promote the sport of mixed martial arts in the CNMI.

The Trench Tech Gym will be relocating from its current location at the back of Moylan’s Insurance in Garapan to Afetna Square in San Antonio, which will be their permanent home.

Alvarez, who is the brains behind the Trench Warz and Rites of Passage mixed martial arts series, said they decided to move the gym to accommodate the growing MMA community.

From Trench Tech’s current location behind Moylan’s Insurance in Garapan, the gym will move to Afetna Square or Babauta estate, which is located behind the Sablan Building in San Antonio.

Alvarez, co-owner Randy Taylor, co-instructor Tetsuji Kato, Ben Babauta—of the Babauta family estate—and several Trench Tech trainees were present during the lease signing on Tuesday afternoon at the Afetna facility.

“This is the fruit of our years of labor. Now we have a facility where we can hold MMA events and at the same time train our youth to keep them away from vices,” said Alvarez.

Trench Tech’s new home is a former garment factory behind the Immigration Building in San Antonio. “We only need some minor changes here. We have to adjust the lights since they are too low.”

Alvarez said they have been clearing the facility of old equipment and other debris used in the former factory. “The boys [Trench Tech trainees] have been busy moving stuff here. Next week we will be getting our stuff at the gym and moving everything here.”

Alvarez said it is possible that the next Trench Warz or Rites of Passage will be held at their new gym.

Ben Babauta, who represented the Babauta family estate, welcomed its new partnership with Trench Tech Gym. “I am happy with the new partnership and now it is official.”

Babauta said the facility has been available for quite some time after one garment factory closed late last year. “We have been waiting for the right opportunity for this facility and Cuki [Alvarez] and Randy [Taylor] opened up the idea of converting it to a gym.”

“I have been a community man and I support every project for the youth. This is a big plus to our community. I think with this project everybody wins.”

The new building is an old garment factory warehouse measuring 15,708 square feet and is capable of accommodating between 1,500 to 2,000 fight fans.

Trench Tech’s new gym is an air-conditioned facility with ample parking space that can accommodate more than 100 cars.

Trench Tech will follow the same regular business hours for training from 5pm to 8pm from Mondays to Saturdays. They are still selling the Trench Tech clothing line and other gear.

They are also preparing to offer more MMA classes like their planned after-school program for teenagers from 3pm to 5pm and women’s classes. Alvarez said they would inform everyone of future developments.

For more information, call Alvarez at 483-4MMA or 483-4662.