End of year celebration. Photo: Personal archive

GMA member Stephen Roberto of Purebred Jiu-Jitsu Guam is leading his team to be better every single day.

Over the years they have formed and adapted and evolved to become one of the best teams in Asia, as proven by their individual and team results at the IBJJF Asian Open in Tokyo, Japan every year.

As part of the end of year celebration, as is custom in a lot of the academies, there were belt promotions.

Three new black belts. Photo: Personal archive

Perhaps most significant were the promotions to black belt–all three. The students promoted were Rob Gutierrez, Mark Pangilinan and Joe McDonald.

Stephen says, “They are great defenders of Jiu-Jitsu and long time practitioners. Well deserved and long overdue. They’ve been training for over 12 years together. A super proud moment.”

Purebred Jiu-Jtsu Guam receives honorary certificate. Photo: Robert Balajadia

GMA member Stephen Roberto is the owner and head instructor at Purebred Jiu-Jitsu Guam. Having opened the academy in 1996, Stephen’s leadership has led his students to many medals and titles as well as enriched lives because of Jiu-Jitsu.

After taking home 22 medals at the 2014 IBJJF Asian Open, Stephen received an honorary certificate from the Government of Guam for his accomplishment and what he has done for Guam in the past 18 years.

If that wasn’t enough, the team was honored with the title of “Best Gym in Guam” as chosen by Pika Magazine.

Learn more at www.purebredbjjguam.net

Purebred Jiu Jitsu Guam competitors and supporters. Photo: Personal archive

GMA Purebred Jiu Jitsu represented Guam with 25 medals from a team of 27 athletes at the 2014 Asian Open over the weekend.
They also earned the overall female first place team title.

Purebred Jiu Jitsu Guam has garnered team titles for 5 consecutive installments of the Asian Open Jiu Jitsu Championship. Leader Stephen Roberto says, “Thank you to all the our coaches, students, family, sponsors and friends for their support. It was an incredible display of teamwork!”

In 2008 the team took home third place overall adult and second place novice. In 2010 they improved to the second place overall as a team. By 2012 they placed first in the novice category once again and a year later claimed the same category but in second place.

You can find complete results here: http://static.ibjjfdb.com/Campeonato/000304/en-US/Results.pdf

Left to right front row Rebecca Tomada, Tracy Matanane, Brogan Walker, Dina Salverian
Back row Prof. Stephen Roberto. Photo: Personal archive

The Purebred Jiu-Jitsu Guam Team. Photo: Personal Archive

On August 23, GMA Purebred Jiu Jitsu Guam won their 14th consecutive Copa De Marianas adult and kids team championship trophies.

This is the longest win streak in Guam sports history. The event was blessed to have Professor Jared Weiner of GMA BJJ United from Philadelphia, PA as a guest official. The following Monday he conducted a seminar at our academy for kids and adults.

“Its a great thing to have Jiu-Jitsu connect people from all over the world. Big thanks to Jared for sharing,” says Stephen Roberto.

Learn more about GMA Purebred Jiu-Jitsu Guam and their accomplishments at www.purebredbjjguam.net

The kids at the tournament. Photo: Personal Archive

The Jared Weiner seminar. Photo: Personal Archive

Stephen’s seminar in Japan. Photo: Personal Archive

Stephen Roberto is the lead instructor of GMA Purebred Jiu-Jitsu Guam. Recently he had the experience of teaching high-level black belts in Japan and train with the students at his seminar.

Check out what he had to say about his time in Japan:

“Today was a a special day in my Jiu-Jitsu career. I was invited by the head coaches, Sensei Nishizawa and 2x world champion Sugai Hitoshi of Tokai University to conduct a seminar on ground techniques. I was so honored and humbled by this. The rivalry between judo and Jiu-Jitsu has been ongoing. To be invited by the powerhouse university in Japan to share technique is an incredible opportunity. I shared my turtle guard attacks and guard passing systems to a grateful and eager squad who I later found out are their “A” team. Two hours of technique followed by one hour of intense sparring. They were impressed by my teaching and even more impressed as I held my own with high level black belts and then to find out that I’m 39 years old! I was invited back at the end of training and look forward to helping bridge the gap between BJJ and judo. And it’s not every day were I get to teach a room full of black belts!”

More information about Stephen Roberto and GMA Purebred Jiu-Jitsu Guam can be found at www.purebredbjjguam.net

Training at Purebred BJJ Guam. Photo: Purebred BJJ Guam Facebook

Although the IBJJF International Master and Senior World Championship won’t be for another few months on October 5 and 6, the students at GMA Purebred BJJ Guam are serious about their preparation.

Professor Stephen Roberto speaks about their attitudes towards the major tournament int he video below. Earlier this year the team sent a group for California for the adult World Championship and brought home two medals.

Even though the older you get, the more responsibilities you may have, the harder it may be to train, the Master and Senior Worlds is a competition with a prestigious title garnered for such athletes. Guam is a distance from Long Beach that can take more than a day of travel to complete so these athletes train for gold.

To see about what will come from their preparation, watch Stephen Roberto explain:

GMA member Stephen Roberto has some huge news.

He recently opened Purebred Guam’s 2nd location in the Northern part of Guam.

The first classes were hed on October 24th.

Roberto comented on the news: “The support from the community was overwhelmingly positive! So many new students in the academy is proof of the positive effects of jiu jitsu in our island community. Its been 5 years since we opened our first school on Guam and traning hard and having fun has made time fly by.”

For more info, go to purebredbjjguam.com

Stephen and his wife at the awards ceremony

GMA member Stephen Roberto was awarded this weekend, in Guam.

The leader of Purebred Guam was voted the Outstanding Group Fitness Instructor by the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports.

Roberto talked about the award: “I was surprised not only with the award but the fact that a Jiu-Jitsu school was nominated. It is a great way to recognize Jiu-Jitsu’s role in fitness and the positive way that it can change people’s lives.”

Here is a complete report on the event.

For more info, go to  purebredbjjguam.com.

Congratulations are in order for our GMA member Stephen Roberto.

Last September 10, he celebrated the 15th anniversary of his presence in Guam.

Roberto wrote us about it: “Jiu-Jitsu has blessed us with so much over the years. It’s made us better as individuals and also as a community. The gym held a banquet for the members and we had a great open mat and team picture.”

Roberto took the opportunity to tell a story that ilustrates the good that the sense of community created by Jiu-Jitsu can do even at the hardest of times.

He tells us: “‘In the video you will notice that we had a belt promotion for my nephew David Benavente, 24. He was promoted to brown belt. Earlier this year his younger brother Christopher, a purple belt and active competitor, passed away due to an enlarged heart. It was devastating to us. He was only 22 years old. The brothers are so very close to each other and they started training at the same time under me. Training and having the support of the academy has helped us to get thru this trying time and I know Chris is proud of his brothers accomplishment.”

To know more, go to jiujitsusavedmylife.wordpress.com.

Member Stephen Roberto invited the Brazilian for seven days of teaching right after the 2011 Worlds.

As we can read on Facebook, Bruno had a great time at the Pacific island.

Here what he had to say about his experience: “Guys, I just want to say that you are amazing! Thank you all. I miss Guam, had a great time.
Thank God for the opportunities. I love my job. BJJ life style!”

Here is a picture of Frazatto and Team Purebred Guam. Stephen is right on Bruno’s left, in front.

For more info, go to purebredbjjguam.com

GMA member Stephen Roberto, from Purebred Guam, took a great group of kids to compete at the Pan Kids, in California, last weekend.

“We were blessed to be able to field 13 athletes to the 2011 Pan Kids Jiu jitsu Championship,” tells us Stephen.

The effort paid off, once the team from Guam helped Team Lloyd Irvin to finish first at the overal competition.

For more info, go to myspace.com/purebredjiujitsu

GMA member Stephen Roberto, from Purebred Guam, took a great group of kids to compete at the Pan Kids, in California, last weekend.

“We were blessed to be able to field 13 athletes to the 2011 Pan Kids Jiu jitsu Championship,” tells us Stephen.

The effort paid off, once the team from Guam helped Team Lloyd Irvin to finish first at the overal competition.

For more info, go to jiujitsusavedmylife.wordpress.com