REIDEN Travilla displayed steely eyed confidence en route to two gold medals in the Trench Tech Mats on Fire Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament at the Garapan roundhouse on Saturday, Sept. 28.
Travilla was one of only two multi-divisional medalists in the event. His first gold medal came from the Peewee 3 division for children weighing 61-70 pounds. The children’s divisions at the submission grappling tourney mandated the use of gis.
Travilla faced fellow Guam 2024 Patgon Jiu Jitsu Tournament competitor “Deight the Great” aka Deighton Muna.
Muna looked to earn the better of Travilla early in their battle, placing Travilla in a precarious position from the full guard. Muna attacked with a near armbar and searched actively for an opportunity to transition to a triangle or omoplata. Travilla shrugged off the attack and reversed position.
He then won the match by locking in his opponent in an armbar.
Later, as a competitor in the Peewee 4 division, Travilla faced Mica Zevallos, Tate Manglona, Wesley Deleon Guerrero, and Davey Babauta.
Against Zevallos, Travilla was able to pull off a “blink-and-you-missed-it” quick armbar.
Travilla faced Tate Manglona in the gold medal match of the Peewee 4 division. Manglona himself is a multi-medalist in the 2024 Patgon Jiu Jitsu Tournament, where he earned two bronze medals in gi and no-gi grappling earlier this year.
Manglona sought to apply oppressive top pressure in the match but got caught with a Travilla triangle that forced the tap.
The only other competitor who two gold medals on Saturday was Travilla’s coach, Bryan Deleon Guerrero, head instructor at Saipan Submission.
Zevallos was the bronze medalist in the Peewee 4 division.
Elsewhere, a stacked middleweight division was conquered by Jason Artero.
The competition for fighters weighing 171-185 pounds featured Artero, James Garcia, Joey Tudela, Miles Borja, Isaiah “Chiba the GOAT” Sablan, Norberto Sablan, and Evert Van Der Maas. The division had the most competitors in the entire event.
In the gold medal match, Artero faced the much taller Van Der Maas.
The pair locked up in the clinch in the center of the mat, engaging in hand fighting to establish the better position. However, neither man had scored points or a takedown after around a minute and 20 seconds of the match had expired.
Van Der Maas searched for trips and utilized his reach, trying for a knee tap that could topple Artero.
During a scramble Artero tried to mount Van Der Maas’ back but was denied.
The rest of the match was spent scrambling and neutralizing each other’s dominant positions, with Artero racking up 12 points for his efforts.
Van Der Maas threatened with a late arm submission from guard, but it was ultimately for naught, as Artero clinched a 12-0 victory.
In the bronze medal match, an aggressive Isaiah “Chiba the GOAT” Sablan utilized James Garcia’s forward momentum to land a lateral drop, also known as a yoko otoshi in Judo, and then scrambled to sink in a rear-naked choke.
The throw required Sablan to fall onto the mat while holding on to Garcia using a “seatbelt” — meaning Sablan had one overhook, one underhook, and both hands clasped behind Garcia’s back. When the pair crashed onto the mat, Sablan used the forward motion to toss Garcia into the less dominant position.
Among the atomweights — 111 to 120 pounds — Leighton Palacios reigned supreme.
In the gold medal match, Palacios faced “Prime Time” Phil Simon, a Trench Tech Ring of Fire kickboxer. Simon also displayed the iron stamina of a marathon runner, having competed in an exhibition kickboxing match and exhibition gi jiu jitsu match that same day.
Simon showed little wear and tear going in for the gold, as both he and Palacios fought hard in the standing clinch. Palacios went from the stand up clinch, scurried onto Simon’s back, and the two tumbled onto the mat. Simon fought to get Palacios into his full guard, and from there the pair were evenly matched, seeking to sweep or get better positions.
Palacios eventually caught Simon with a guillotine, and earned his gold the hard way, forcing the tap with 2:37 to spare in the match.
Jess “Not Like the Rest” Ma was the only female competitor in the adult divisions. Although she eventually had to settle for the bronze medal against Simon, she did threaten her opponent with a jumping guillotine moments into their battle.
Deighton Muna searches for the arm lock in his match against Reiden Travilla.
1st place in the Pewee 3 division Reiden Travilla, 2nd place Deighton Muna.
Artrero and Van Der Maas lock horns in their gold medal match.
Jess Ma jumps into a guillotine in her match against Phil Simon.
Reiden Travilla, left, Tate Manglona, right.
Isaiah Sablan locks in a rear naked choke to secure the bronze.
1st place Reiden Travilla; 2nd place Tate Manglona; 3rd place Mica Zevallos.
1st place Jason Artrero; 2nd place Evert Van Der Maas; 3rd place Isaiah “Chiba the GOAT” Sablan.
1st place Leighton Palacios; 2nd place “Prime Time” Phil Simon; 3rd place Jess Ma.
Phil Simon fights to pass Jess Ma’s guard.
Leighton Palacios, in white, fights to secure a gold medal in the atomweight division.
Artrero and Van Der Maas lock horns in their gold medal match
Reiden Travilla and Deighton Muna battle for supremecy
