LIHUE — It’s only been about five months since local mixed martial arts school Lions MMA formed. At the club’s first jiu-jitsu competition, at one of the biggest jiu-jitsu tournaments in the state, the club took home some hardware. The
LIHUE — It’s only been about five months since local mixed martial arts school Lions MMA formed.
At the club’s first jiu-jitsu competition, at one of the biggest jiu-jitsu tournaments in the state, the club took home some hardware.
The NAGA (North American Grappling Association) Hawaii Championship took place Sept. 23 at Mililani High School. Lions MMA, as well as other schools from the Garden Isle, competed on Oahu.
Hundreds of practitioners from around the state as well as the Mainland took part.
“I’m just so proud of them. Congratulations,” said Lions MMA coach Mory Fernandez of his team. “But most of all, I’d like to thank my professor Kalani Lizama (of Powerhouse Jiu Jitsu in Kapaa). Even though we’re training in different schools right now, I’d like to give all the thanks and praise to him. Without him, I wouldn’t be the coach that I am today to these guys. And without these guys, I wouldn’t have Lions MMA.”
Five grapplers represented Lions MMA and placed:
w Max “Madz” Jordan, first place, Mens Gi White Belt Bantamweight division; first place, Teen No-gi Beginner Welterweight 17 years old division; first place, Teen Gi Beginner Welterweight 17 years old division; first place, Teen Gi Beginner Light Heavweight 15-17 years old division.
w Tyler Bigno, first place, Teen Gi Beginner Cruiserweight 16-17 years old division; second place, Teen No-gi Beginner Cruiserweight 17 years old division; third place, Teen Gi Beginner Cruiserweight 17 years old division.
w Derrek Brock, first place, Masters No-gi Beginner Cruiserweight division.
w Jonathan “Jap” Ajimini, second place, Mens No-gi Beginner Flyweight division.
w Russell Matsuyama, second place, Masters No-gi Intermediate Lightweight division.
“I’ve always like the martial arts,” Jordan said Wednesday at the Lions MMA gym in Lihue. “It’s a way to get your anger out. I enjoy the mat time, but I had no knowledge of any jiu-jitsu whatsoever, or any martial art. … Coach Mo, he offered to (let me) swing by one time and see how I like it. He welcomed me into his home, this gym, right here. He asked for nothing but hard work and dedication, and passion for the sport. The first time I stepped on these mats was the first time I ever (tried jiu-jitsu).”
Jordan, 17, a senior at Island School, said he started learning jiu-jitsu just four months ago.
For him to do so well at his first tournament, garnering four first-place finishes in three teens divisions and one adult division, he said was determined to “smash” whoever he faced.
“From zero to four months, you can’t expect anything and I was going to go home humble either way,” he said.
Jordan added: “Everyone has a fighters chance. My coach was watching and saw everything I didn’t see. He guided me through it. … Everything he said, I did. And that’s how we won.”
Fernandez said en route to winning his gold medals, Jordan submitted all of his opponents.
“It just takes the connection with what we have here. We’re more than a team. We’re family,” Fernandez said. “I feel like I’m a dad to these guys. It’s just the connection we get. When I’m training with Max, Derrek, Jap, Tyler, we’re synchronized. That’s how we win our tournaments.”
Jordan asaid he plans for a career in mixed martial arts when he turns 18 years old.
Also winning a gold medal for Lions MMA, Brock has been a practitioner for about eight months.
“Went in there. Like Max said, we had a lot of training. Coach, he’s a good guy. He gives a lot of one-on-one time,” Brock said. “Basically, we sharpened our skills. Whatever we knew, whatever is best for our body types, he helped us work on that. Just grinded us to make sure our cardio up and we could handle the pressure.”
He added of winning a gold: “It means a lot. More not for myself but for my coach. He put a lot of hard work into us, and it means a lot to bring back a gold for the school and for the team.”
The club plans on competing at other NAGA competitions in ISLAND and on the Mainland in the near future. A few of the members also plan on competing at the Kauai Open, part of the Triple Crown of Brazilan Jiu Jitsu, on Oct. 21 at Kauai High School.
Results: www.nagafighter.com.
