BJJ Bay Area Open

Plentee of Guamanians in the Bay Area, anyone competing?  If so, please post a reply.

Joe “Hybrid” Duarte back on Guam

From his MySpace bulletin: “I JUST WANTED TO LET EVERYONE KNOW I WILL HEADED BACK TO GUAM ON A FLIGHT COME TUESDAY.   I LOST SOMEONE CLOSE TO ME IN MY FAMILY AND I DON’T WANT TO GO INTO DETAIL ABOUT IT.  PLEASE BE RESPECTFUL AND DON’T ASK ME WHO.  THOSE THAT ARE CLOSE ALREADY KNOW.  I FOUND OUT FROM MY BROTHER JUSTIN ON THE DAY OF MY WEIGH-INS FOR MY FIGHT.  I WAS IN AND STILL AM IN DISBELIEF.  AS FOR THE FIGHT I WAS DOMINATING THE WHOLE FIGHT AND GOT A BIT RELAXED AND DROPPED MY HANDS.  MY OPPONENT WAS TIRED AND WINGED HIS LAST HARD PUNCH AND CAUGHT ME ON THE BUTTON.  YOU CANT WIN THEM ALL.  I WAS IN THE BEST SHAPE OF MY LIFE BUT I WASN’T THERE MENTALLY.  SORRY TO EVERYONE.  BUT THE LOST OF THE FIGHT IS THE LEAST OF MY WORRIES RIGHT NOW.  I WILL BE BACK IN GUAM FOR A MONTH TO COMFORT MY FAMILY.”

Go and do what you need to do Joe.  Our condolences and best wishes.  We’ll see you back on the mainland soon.

For those who want to hit up Joe, he has a cell on Guam: 671-788-5627

Mr. Fokai himself for Pacific Daily News | Words of Advice

From PDN: Respect BJJ.  It is key not only to digest BJJ in the shadow of mixed martial arts competition, we should respect the contributions jiu jitsu and the famous Gracie Family have brought to the internationally successful sport of modern MMA. We should also respect what BJJ has brought to its own identity in the competitive world of combat sports and in the bigger scheme of positive networking.

In light of these positive things that have come from the gentle art, let’s celebrate jiu jitsu on Guam for two things: what it has done for us as a martial art, and for what jiu jitsu has done for us as a sport.

Besides providing Guam with great recognition and a very successful track record in international competition, a massive ambition for our jiu jitsu players has cultivated a direction and ambition far beyond just competition credit. It has nurtured a sense of commitment, camaraderie and local pride among our people.

For those of us who might not be the biggest jiu jitsu fans, let’s remember that it was BJJ and the legendary Gracie Family that paved the road for modern MMA today. Though jiu jitsu may not dominate the MMA world today, as it did before, BJJ’s gravity as a martial art continues to educate and positively service the world as its own identity.

You know it!  Yeeeeaaaahhh Brrrro! Spoken like an True Ambassador of the game.