THE martial arts of jiu-jitsu is gaining ground as one of the most popular sports in the world today.
A personality known for his patronage of the Jiujitsu in Guam will attest to this.
“With the sport growing and getting bigger, jiu-jitsu has turned into a world-renowned sport. Guam is also growing out of the sport’s popularity in the Philippines,” said Steve Shimizu, president of the Marianas Open International and Sports Tourism in Guam.
Shimizu even cited what he described as the growing popularity of this Brazilian combat sport in the Philippines.
“Jiu-jitsu has grown on popularity among Filipinos as well as Guamanians, who love to compete here,” the Guam sports exec said.
Shimizu also issued kind words for Filipino jiu-jitsu athletes, whom he considers one of the toughest in the world.
“Some of the awesome things about the Philippines are its athletes, who are very renowned. I competed alongside them in Japan and the Philippines. I tell you they are tough, which is the reason why we’re here,” Shimizu said.
In a show of love for the sport and admiration of the Filipino jui-jitsu athletes, Shimizu came to town to grace a Marianas Pro Manila tournament in Alabang, which came to a close on Sunday, April 6.
He also lauded the tournament, organized by Asian Sport Jiu-Jitsu Federation (ASJJF), led by its Manila president Alvin Lee, and Edison Kagohara, the ASJJF overall president of Asia.
“Our partners here, Alvin Lee, put up a great event. He (Lee) has some great experiences, and all of us too,” said Shimizu, who expressed optimism that the event will open the door and bridge the gap between the Filipino and Guam jiu-jitsu competitors.
Shimizu is hoping more Filipino athletes will compete in the Marianas Pro Taiwan from April 26 to 27, and Marianas Open International on October 18 in Guam for the grand finale, where a prize pool of $50,000 will be at stake.
