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Guam fighters sign up for Art of War 13
Guam’s Kenji Okiyama, top, will return to Saipan later this month to compete in Trench Tech’s Art of War 13. (Contributed Photo)
Guam fighters are coming over to compete in the Art of War 13: Grappling and Submission Challenge set for Dec. 29 at the Trench Tech Gym in Garapan.
Leading the visiting crew is returnee Kenji Okiyama, who is entered in the brown belt absolute (Gi) and will be joined by Trench Tech founder himself Cuki Alvarez and Mark Smith.
In the blue belt absolute, Guam’s Phoenix Cannon will be tested against Saipan’s Paulo Sangalang, Giovanni Taitingfong, Franklin Santos, Mark Nuique, and Jeff Garcia.
For the purple belt absolute division, Shane “Pikaboo” Alvarez leads the cast and will be up against Rey Kim, Vince “The Clinch” Masga, and Ken Tanzawa. Completing the initial lift of fighters for Art of War 13 (Gi category) are white belt absolute’s Kier Agda, Jose Quan, Danny Feitner, and Jasper Van Der Maas.
Van Der Maas will also compete in the No Gi middleweight class (166 to 185 lbs) and will face Guam’s Nick Brown and J.J. Abrose and Kim, Tanzawa, Masga, and Quan. Van Der Maas will try his luck, too in the light heavyweight (186 to 200 lbs) and he will square off against Cannon, Agda, and Masga.
In the heavyweight class (201 lbs and up), Kelvin “The Big Hit” Fitial is on the list of contenders along with Cannon, Agda, and Guam’s John Aguon Jr. In the lightweight (100 to 145 lbs), only three fighters—Taitingfong, Santos, and Pilling Terlaje—have registered so far, while the welterweight division (146 to 165 lbs) is loaded with Shane on top of the lineup. Sangalang, Nuique, Okiyama, Taitingfong, and Tanzawa have also signed up in the welterweight category.
Meanwhile, Cuki Alvarez said registration is still open. Tournament fee is only $20 and to sign up, call Alvarez at 783-4662.
