Guåhan Jiu

JIUJITSU TOURNAMENT: The Guåhan Jiu-Jitsu League will be hosting the Guåhan Youth Jiu-Jitsu Championship Saturday, Aug. 26, 2023, at Leo Palace. Doors open at 9:30 a.m. Tickets are on sale at guamtime.net or at Stax in Hagåtña. Contributed photo

Through a partnership with Alter Ego Entertainment and Clutch Guam, Guåhan Jiu-Jitsu League will be hosting the Guåhan Youth Jiu-Jitsu Championship Saturday at Leo Palace. The tournament, which was originally intended to be for children, will include bouts between adults and even several Super Fights.

Registration closed at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday. Spectators’ tickets are available at guamtime.net or at Stax in Hagåtña. The price of admission is $30 for adults and $15 for children between the ages of 7 and 17. Children 6 years old and younger may attend for free. The tournament will take place from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. in the Zefiro Ballroom.

“We're more than happy to provide these opportunities,” said tournament coordinator and Guåhan Jiu-Jitsu League co-founder Anthony Cruz. He added that $500 cash prizes will be up for grabs in the boys and girls 14-17 age divisions. He also said that there will also be prizes from their sponsors.

Cruz told The Guam Daily Post that 75 jiujitsu practitioners have signed up for the event, pitting some of the island’s best and most experienced grapplers against each other in fierce, mat-based martial arts.

“I want to provide opportunities for the local jiujitsu athletes to continue to improve and to continue to develop their skills,” Cruz said. “As we started to move closer towards the event, we had some interest in regards to adults competing as well. So we will have some adult matchups incorporated into the event. However, the main focal point of the event is primarily for the youth competitors.”

Cruz said that the Super Fights will include fighters from three local academies.

“We have some colored belts representing Atos (Jiu-Jitsu Guam), we have some other colored belts representing Carlson-Gracie (Jiu Jitsu Academy Guam), Heights Academy, The Yard Fitness, and Spike 22. So we have a lot of hungry up-and-coming competitors,” he said.

Cruz said that he is super excited for the event, especially for the frills and professional touches added by Ben Schiff and his company, Alto Ego Entertainment. Cruz said that all on hand are in for a huge treat.

“He is going to do a great job in terms of adding a different level of presentation for this from a spectator perspective and also add extensive level of thrill and excitement for the competitors on the competitors’ side,” Cruz said.

Cruz said that food will be available for purchase and opportunities are still available for vendors wishing to set up booths.

“We’re more than happy to accommodate any small businesses that would like to pop up booths at our event,” said Cruz, adding that clothing and apparel vendors are more than welcome to join in the festivities. “Unfortunately, due to the hotel policy, we cannot have outside food vendors. But other than food, we are more than happy to accommodate any small businesses that would like to promote their products and their business to the people of Guam and to the spectator base.”

He said that interested vendors can call him at 671-777-8188 or email him at [email protected].

He also said that Alter Ego will be outfitting an area filled with games for children to enjoy.

“The little kids, especially, they'll have a little corner to themselves,” Cruz said.

“I want to provide opportunities for the local jiujitsu athletes to continue to improve and to continue to develop their skills.”

- Anthony Cruz, co-founder, Guåhan Jiu-Jitsu League

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