Arnis Seminar for St. Paul’s Hospital Med. Profs. Set by: James U. Sy Jr.

The Fundamentals of Conceptual Arnis Seminar will be presented by Professional Medical Representative Elaine Louise Edulag of Getz Pharma (Phils.), Inc. to at least 20 medical professionals of St. Paul’s Hospital at the request of Dra. Minda Marie S. Cabrera, Head of the Rehabilitation Department, on November 8-9, 2010, 5:30 PM, at the St. Clement’s Gymnasium, Lapaz, Iloilo City.

Edulag. Who represents Celcoxx 100, 200, and 400mg “The Fastest Strike,” had invited Founder/Master James U. Sy Jr. of the Bacolod-based Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. as the seminar’s Resource Instructor. Getz Pharma previously tapped Sy as the Primary Resource Instructor for its Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) in Action last July 31, 2010 at the Golden Salakot Hall, Hotel Del Rio, Gen. Luna St., Iloilo City which was held as part of the company’s Family Day for 45 doctors and their families. Sy was also a member of the team who taught the FMA ICOX Seminar for Bacolod last September 2010 at the Palmas del Mar Conference Resort Hotel, 37 JR Torres, Bacolod City.

Participants will be composed of interns, nurses, and other medical professionals. The seminar will cover Arnis courtesy, preliminary lecture, warm up and cool down, body facing, fighting stance and body fencing, paniil (footwork), the universal slashing and thrusting patterns, practical application of techniques with and without weapons, and open forum.

The purpose of the seminar is to introduce medical professionals to the cultural legacy of our forefathers and instill in them an appreciation of the effectivity of the indigenous Filipino Martial Arts (FMA) of Arnis as a means of protecting oneself and one’s loves ones. The seminar will focus on the martial and cultural aspects of Arnis.

The Celcoxx Team of getz Pharma are Product Manager Marie Yumul-Aranas, Regional Sales Manager Iris Gesta, District Sales Manager J. Angelo H. Lee, and PMR Elaine Louise Edulag.

Hon. Mayor Ramon Torres Arnis Expo This Cinco de Nov. by: James U. Sy Jr.

Hon. Bago City Mayor Ramon D. Torres, one of the few chief executives in the Province of Negros Occidental to generously support the propagation and promotion of the indigenous Filipino Martial Arts (FMA), will present another milestone in the province’s history of Arnis with the 1st Hon. Ramon D. Torres Arnis Expo which will be held this coming November 5, 2010, 2:00 PM, at the Bantayan, Bago City (at the Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines Gym if it rains) as part of the city’s Cinco de Novembre celebration.

The event is being organized by the Guarra Style Modern Arnis (GSMA) of P/Sgt. (Ret.) Founder/Grandmaster Estanislao “Eslao” T. Guarra and Arjuka-Malingin of Founder/Grandmaster Isaac “Saac T. Guarra with the support of the Bago City Government under Hon. Mayor Ramon D. Torres and the Bago City Sports Office of Mr. Ignacio Denila in cooperation with the Negros Occidental Baston Federation (NOBF), Inc. of Founder Atty. Col. Grandmaster Marcelo “Pope” C. Jalandoon, Ph.D., and the Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. of Founders/Masters James U. Sy Jr. and Narciso “Hansy” L. Alojado.

The event was conceptualized by the organizers after the successful presentation of the 1st GSMASDA-Arjuka-CMAS Arnis Expo by GSMA, Arjuka-Malingin, and CMAS last August 1, 2010 at the Gaisano Bacolod Supermall, Bacolod City.

The event is a competition using the demonstration format. Each participating group will give a presentation of their particular system of Arnis within 3-5 minutes. Contestants will be scored based on execution (30%), stage presence (30%), substance (30%), and uniform (10%). There will be a Grandmasters, Masters & Instructors, and Students categories.

The demonstration format was chosen to showcase the combative and cultural aspects of the native Negrense systems of Filipino Martial Arts (FMA), which are not often highlighted in regular labanan (sparring) competitions of sportive Arnis.

16 different Arnis organizations from Bago, Bacolod, Cauayan, and Talisay are expected to grace the event. Invitations had been sent to Iloilo but the invited group may not make it.

Invited groups include Arjuka-Malingin of Founder/Grandmaster Isaac “Saac T. Guarra, Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. of Founders/Masters James U. Sy Jr. and Narciso “Hansy” L. Alojado, Golden Kamagong Arnis Kali Eskrima Association (GKAKEA), Inc. of P/CInsp. (Ret.) Grandmaster Ibarra E. Lopez, Guarra Style Modern Arnis (GSMA) of P/Sgt. (Ret.) Founder/Grandmaster Estanislao “Eslao” T. Guarra, Guinabo Arnis and Combat Sports (GACS) of Grandmaster Felix A. Guinabo, Herada Pigada Arnis of Master Maxwell “Max” J. Maun, KaliSilat Arnis Association (KAA) of Grandmaster Danilo “Danny” L. Cardinal and Master Guilberto C. Dajao, Negros Occidental Baston Federation (NOBF), Inc. of Founder Atty. Col. Grandmaster Marcelo “Pope” C. Jalandoon, Ph.D., Oido de Caburata Arnis Group (ODCA) of Grandmaster Abraham T. Gubaton and Chief Instructor/Grandmaster Sabas T. Gubaton, Oido Fencing of Grandmaster Sotero Tario and Pastor Romeo N. Gumban, Original Filipino Tapado Long Stick Fighting Association (OFTLSFA), Inc. of 1st Generation Inheritor/Grandmaster Benefredo “Bebing” Mamar Lobrido, Oro Arnis Club (Cauayan) of Grandmaster Romeo Oro, Philippine Integrated Martial Arts Academy-Filipino Tang Soo Do Association of Grandmaster Elmer V. Montoyo, Tanique Arnis and Combat Club of Grandmaster Arman Tanique, Universal Defensive Tactics Academy (UDTA) of Founder/Chief Instructor Abraham “Abe” Ganzon Jr., and Yasay Sable of 3rd generation Headmaster and 4th Generation Chief Instructor/Master Ferdinand Emmanuel “Bobot” Y. Gayoles.

The 1st Hon. Ramon D. Torres Arnis Expo is open for the public for free.

Velasquez Dethrones Lesnar as UFC Heavyweight Champion

Cain Ramirez Velasquez (above) and Brock Lesnar

Undefeated Mexican-American Cain Ramirez Velasquez (B: 1982) of the American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) defeated reigning heavyweight champion and former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar Brock Lesnar via TKO at 4:01 of round 1 with punches during the main event of the Ultimate Fighting Championships (UFC) 121 last October 23, 2010 at the Honda Center in Anaheim , California, USA.

Velasquez earned the distinction as the first MMA fighter of Mexican ethnicity to be crowned as the UFRC heavyweight champion.

Lesnar started the fight aggresively and successfully took down Velasquez twice in the first two minutes but the challenger immediately sprang back up. A two-punch combination from Velasquez sent Lesnar tumbling across the octagon, attempting to regain hisfooting along the way. Velasquez chased him up to the fence, where he rained down blows on Lesnar.

Herb Dean stopped the fight at 4.01 as Lesnar was no longer intelligentlydefending himself.

Velasquez rose to 7-0 (UFC record) while Lesnar fell to 5-2. Velasquez entered the octogaon with a record of outlanding his last five opponents by a tally of 481 to 63. He currently holds a purple belt in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu under Dave Camarillo.

Velasquez was a 2 time All-American collegiate wrestler from Arizona State, a Junior College National Champ at Iowa Central Community College, and a 2 time 5A state champion in Arizona, Compiling a record of 110-10 for Kofa High School (Yuma, Arizona).

Velasquez made his MMA debut at Strikeforce: Tank vs. Buentello on October 7, 2006 were he TKOed Jesse Fujarczyk in the first round. He made his octagon debut in UFC 83 where he defeated Brad Morris in the first round with strikes.

His other victories in the UFC were against Jake O'Brien (UFC Fight Night 14, 1st round TKO), Denis Stojnić (UFC Fight Night 17, 2nd round TKO), Cheick Kongo (UFC 99, unanimous decision), Ben Rothwell (UFC 104, 2nd round TKO), and former Pride heavyweight champion and former UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (UFC 110, 1st round KO).

Rosario Sala-Sy (1923-2010) Passes Away by: James U. Sy Jr.

Businesswoman Rosario Sala-Sy passed away last October 8, 2010 due to a long standing illness which included Parkinson’s Disease and Dementia among others. She was 87.

Rosario Sala-Sy was born as the third of five children of Vicente Tampos and Ramona Sala on August 20, 1923 in Bogo, Cebu.

Rosario Sala-Sy had six children, namely Emma Sala-Chua, Carmencita Sy-Taocta, Anecita Sy-Yu, James Sy, Georgette Sala-Trecho, and Alexander Sala.

In 1990, 9 years after her husband passed away, Rosario Sala-Sy was petitioned by her daughter Anecita Yu to the US, where she was to spend her retirement years. She went back to Bacolod once, in 1998.

Rosario Sala is survived by her children and her grandchildren. Her remains will be at the Rolling Hills Memorial (new building) starting on October 22, 2010, 4:00 P.M.. The internment mass will be on October 24, 2010, 1:30 P.M., at the Queen of Peace Parish (Hua Ming) and burial will follow at Greenhills Chinese Cemetery.

Happy 18th Birthday Kimberly Ann Trecho!

Debutant Kimberly Ann Trecho, daughter of Lemuel and Georgette Trecho, pose beside her cake during her Masskara-themed 18th birthday celebration last October 18, 2010 at L'Fisher Hotel, Lacson St., Bacolod City.

Boxing, Kickbox Tilts in San Carlos Slated by James U. Sy Jr.

The Local Government Unit of San Carlos City through its Sports Office under City Sports Officer Francisco “Bobot” Vendiola will be presenting the Invitational Amateur Boxing Tournament this coming October 27, 2010, 1:00 P.M., at the San Carlos City Auditorium as part of the city’s annual fiesta celebration scheduled for November 3-5, 2010.

15 amateur Boxing bouts are scheduled to be fought.

To be inserted within the tournament is the 1st San Carlos City Ringtop Full Contact Kickboxing Showdown, to be presented by the San Carlos Jungle Fighters Martial Arts Club (SACA JUFIMAC) of Founder/Chief Instructor Deomedes N. Mamugay, 3rd Degree Black Belt. The three Kickboxing bouts will be inserted after every 5 bouts of the amateur Boxing event.

The Kickboxing bouts will pit San Carlos City fighters represented by Mamumgay’s SACA JUFIMAC against kickboxers of the Red Dragon Martial Arts Club (RDMAC) under Assigned trainor Dominador Tingson III.

Navales Masskara Arnis Held by James U. Sy Jr.

Capt. Teodorico “Teddy” P. Delicana, Grandmaster Hortencio M. Navales, Grandmaster John M. Necesito, P/Sgt. (Ret.) Founder/Grandmaster Estanislao “Eslao” T. Guarra of Guarra Style Modern Arnis, and Mario Guardiano during the start of the Bacolod Negros Arnis Federation International (BNAFI), Inc. Arnis Competition last October 16, 2010 at the Bacolod Arts, Youth, and Sports (BAYS) Center, San Juan St., Bacolod City as part of the 31st Masskara Festival celebration of the City of Smiles.

The Bacolod Negros Arnis Federation International (BNAFI), Inc. of Grandmaster Hortencio M. Navales with the support of the Bacolod City Government under Hon. Mayor Evelio “Bing” R. Leonardia held an Arnis Competition last October 16, 2010 at the Bacolod Arts, Youth, and Sports (BAYS) Center, San Juan St., Bacolod City as part of the 31st Masskara Festival celebration of the City of Smiles.

Guests present were Judge Grandmaster Demosthenes L. Magallanes, Grandmaster John M. Necesito, P/Sgt. (Ret.) Founder/Grandmaster Estanislao “Eslao” T. Guarra of Guarra Style Modern Arnis, Capt. Teodorico “Teddy” P. Delicana, former national Kickboxing champion Grandmaster Hernani “Django” Rodrigazo, Founder/Master James U. Sy Jr. of Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc., and Atty. Roland Zamora. Each of the guests gave a message to the participants.

The event started off with demonstrations for students, Masters, and grandmasters and progressed into WEKAF style sparring competition, which the Navales group had adopted for the last 3 decades.

The Domingo Lacson National High School and Bacolod City National High School Arnis teams under Master Renier Decripito and Master Julius Acot composed the majority of the participants. The groups’ performances include several solo forms, two-man paired forms, synchronized forms, and self defense techniques. A number of the performers did jumps and acrobatics in their forms.

Masters Kane and Prince Navales, sons of GM Navales, demonstrated solo baston, doble baston, and disarming using espada y daga-derived methods.

Using a bahi yaming, Founder/Master James U. Sy Jr. of Conceptual Martial Arts Society (CMAS), Inc. performed la cadena or the chaining combination of the different slashes and thrusts he had learned from his Arnis teachers. He also did a solo form of the Original Filipino Tapado long stick and the nunchaku.

Siblings Clyde and Windy Lou G. Poral of Brgy. Lag-asan, Bago City represented their grandfather’s Guarra Style Modern Arnis with a solo baston vs doble baston routine. Windy also performed modernist disarms with P/Sgt. (Ret.) Founder/Grandmaster Estanislao “Eslao” T. Guarra feeding the strikes and doble baston vs tuwang-tuwang with Master Sy. GM Guarra was the only grandmaster who performed a demo in the event.

Senior Instructor Joselito Guzon and Noel Emmanuel Arendon of Guinabo Arnis and Combat Sports (GACS) represented their teacher Grandmaster Felix A. Guinabo, performing the signature moves of the Trese Grabes Piga-Piga System in the demo and later competing in the sparring division.