Marilyn Cruz topped the Master 1 division, brown belt, light-feather weight class of the World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship on Friday in Last Vegas, Nevada.
MARILYN Cruz won her third title in the World Master IBJJF Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Las Vegas, Nevada on Friday.
Cruz said this year’s tournament was more challenging as she competed in the Master 1 division, brown belt, light-featherweight class. But that did not stop the NMI-born athlete from performing well and besting four opponents.
Her first match was won via arm bar while her second win came via ankle lock. She won her third match via bow and arrow choke.
Cruz said she was fully prepared for her final match against her Brazilian opponent.
The Brazilian was quick to pull guard and started attacking Cruz’s leg in an attempt for an anklelock, but Cruz managed to escape the lock. However, the Brazilian made her way to the top position and earned two points.
Cruz tried to get her opponent off balance, but the Brazilian held her ground which forced Cruz to play single-leg X guard. The Brazilian, for her part, was consistent in attacking the ankle.
Cruz then decided to do the same and got into a 50/50 position.
Although her opponent tried to keep her base, Cruz was able to pull her opponent’s legs and throw the Brazilian off-balance. Cruz then worked her way to get a full extension of her leg and did a belly down knee bar to finish her final match in two minutes.
“It’s always been my goal to get a world title — especially at every level,” Cruz said. “Since I received my brown belt, it was automatically a goal. This year was challenging, a new rank, a new weight class and a different pool of [opponents]. I’m still riding the high of the wins — it’s an amazing feeling when you train hard for something and finally, purposefully achieve it.”
Cruz won her first world title as a blue belt in 2019 followed by her second title as a purple belt in 2022.
Cruz began training for Las Vegas right after receiving her brown belt in April.
“I started honing down on my game plan about a month before the championship,” she added.
Her main focus was “to play to my advantages and what I’m best at, because I want to be able control the match, and be on the offense as much as possible.”
She aimed to look for opportunities for transitioning, trigger points, and holding positions.
“It is like competing against a mirror of yourself. The opponents are at the same level, so I expect that they know what I know. There is an answer for everything, I just have to be the first to expose it,” she said.
Cruz is now looking forward to the upcoming No-Gi season. “I am set to compete in the No-Gi Pan Ams in October, the ADCC Trials on the East Coast, and the No-Gi World Championships at the end of the year. I’d like to finish this year with a No-Gi accomplishment,” Cruz said.
“I am so appreciative and grateful for my sponsors!” she added. “They support me and believe that I can accomplish these goals as a Jiu-Jitsu athlete. Lone Fox Bistro & Lounge (Saipan), Guam Nutrition & Fitness Coach (Guam), and Project Row (San Diego). They are heavily involved in my ability to compete. Please check them out! One way to support me is to support their businesses, or reach out to me directly. Thank you to everyone who cheer me on. I’m so grateful for the support! And of course, my teammates Baret Submissions in San Diego and Professor Baret Yoshida, who train with me daily, making me into a well-rounded martial artist.”
