By James Sablan
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Variety News Staff
THE mats at the Hibiscus Hall of the Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan served as a proving ground this past Saturday as Trench Tech’s Ballroom Blitz — The Grappler’s Gala showcased a masterclass in technical action. From lightning-fast submissions in the elite ranks to grueling wars of attrition in the colored belts, the event highlighted the deep pool of talent surging through the regional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu scene.
The upper echelon of the fight card featured technical brilliance from the Aegis Jiu Jitsu squad, which secured two of its three black belt matches.
Opening the triple-main event series in the middleweight division, Park Do Hyun delivered a clinical performance against Vida/Porrada BJJ’s Tyrone “Busy Bones” Jones. Despite Jones’ active guard, Park found an early opening and worked through 6 minutes and 44 seconds of positional battling before locking in a kneebar to secure the tap.
In the light heavyweight division, Alliance Training CTR./Team Lloyd Irvin’s DJ “Kimura Kid” Jackson lived up to his name against Kim Min Seong. The action intensified quickly, with momentum shifting in Jackson’s favor as he secured a kimura finish at just 1:05.
One of the most unique finishes of the night came in the bantamweight division, where Shin Jiseop defeated Saipan’s Clinton “Sapinho” Dela Cruz via a rare “dogbar” (kneebar from over-under pressure) at 8:09 of a scheduled 10-minute round. After a series of scrambles and positional exchanges, Jiseop forced a sudden tap to claim the victory.
The open belt category provided some of the night’s most explosive moments. Sage Garcia (Figo/Bonsai) showcased elite back-taking ability, submitting Jason Atrero (Trench Tech Purebred Saipan) via rear-naked choke at 2:49. Roman “The Sonic Boom” Alvarez (Trench Tech Purebred Saipan) followed with an armbar submission victory over Sean Mendiola (Studio 22 Guam) at 3:51.
In the heavyweight superfight, Roque Martinez (RM Sports Guam) displayed surprising agility for the 230 lbs.+ division, forcing Kier “The Radical Kid” Agda (Latte Built/Trench Tech) to tap to an arm-neck crank at 1:22.
While the top of the card was defined by finishes, several matches in the middle of the lineup ended in tactical stalemates. In the brown belt welterweight division, Gonzo Quintanilla (Carbsjiujitsu) and Vince “The Clinch” Masga (Trench Tech Purebred Saipan) fought to an eight-minute draw.
The blue and white belt divisions also featured multiple draws, including bouts between Ernie “Batman” Licop and Ballen “The Korean Grappler” Song; Mathew “Ignatius” Salas and James Hallisey; Jason “Happy Hour” Camacho and James Choi; Melvin “The Palauan Phenom” Ngiratumerang and Jacob Yamagishi; Victor “The Storm” Garcia and Daryn Roufs; and Jovano “Bano” Taitano and Vincent Aguon.
The only decisive result in those divisions came from Bonnie “The Hitman” Sagana, who secured an armbar submission victory over James Garcia at 4:32.
Event organizer Cuki Alvarez described the inaugural gala as a unique experience.
“We wanted the adults to come out, dress up, and enjoy a night of exciting fights in a comfortable setting with an elegant dinner buffet and drinks to share with friends and family,” Alvarez said.
He added that competitors from the Northern Marianas, Guam, South Korea, and the mainland United States demonstrated the region’s high level of talent.
“Even though we come from a small island, we’ve got the talent to compete with the best in the world,” Alvarez said. “We just need more events like this to give our fighters experience under the bright lights and in front of big crowds.”
The event followed a submission-only format, encouraging a high level of intensity.
“For those that went the distance, it was declared a draw. Those who secured submissions earned cash prizes, victories, and bragging rights,” Alvarez said. “The fans were very receptive, and we’re definitely planning a Ballroom Blitz 2.”
Alvarez also recognized sponsors Miller Lite, Micronesia Air Connection Services, Hafa Adai Rent-A-Car, Century Hotel, Bridge Capital LLC, Atkins Kroll, Fokai, Crank Industries, and Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan.
James Sablan has been a sports reporter for Variety since 2013. He was a liberal arts student of Northern Marianas College and covers all local sports.
