ARTE SUAVE MANILA is all set for its fourth year! Slated on October 20-21, 2018 in Commercenter Alabang, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu competition and expo is once again expecting fighters and martial arts enthusiasts from all over the Philippines for two days of high-level gi and no gi jiu-jitsu action.

“The warm reception from both the local BJJ and MMA communities for the past three installments of Arte Suave Manila is one of the reasons why we’re back at it for another year,” shares Leslie Tagle-Dinglasan, AVP for Marketing of Commercenter. “We’re excited to open our doors again this year for new and seasoned competitors, and of course, the teams and families supporting them.”

As with previous years, the Gi competition is scheduled on the first day (October 20), and will be open to White, Blue, and Purple Belt competitors. The No Gi competition, which is open to Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced level grapplers, will be on the second day (October 21).

The number of competitors has grown steadily since the very first Arte Suave Manila in 2015, with 2018 bringing in a total of 204 fighters. White Belts comprise the lion’s share of that number — a testament to the local BJJ community’s growth.

“More than a way to test oneself, competitions like Arte Suave Manila are critical to building teams,” quips Franco Rulloda, Co-Founder and President of Triumvirate Fighting and himself a Brown Belt with Deftac-Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu Philippines. “Building teams means growing the sport, and growing the sport means growing the community.”

Franco Rulloda, Co-Founder of Arte Suave Manila & President of Triumvirate Fighting

Arte Suave Manila is also the first local event to introduce Superfights, which are ten-minute submission-only bouts featuring a mix of up-and-coming and established names both in BJJ an MMA.

Previous headliners from the jiu-jitsu scene include Myron Mangubat, the youngest Black Belt of Deftac-Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu Philippines; Kaila Napolis, a Purple Belt of Checkmat Philippines and a member of the Philippine National Jiu-Jitsu Team; Pat Jamlang, a Brown Belt from Origins Jiu-Jitsu; and Justin Ceriola, Blue Belt from Deftac-Ribeiro Jiu-Jitsu Philippines who was recently honoured with a Siklab Superkids Award by the Philippine Olympic Committee.

From the MMA end, a number of elite fighters from leading promotions like the Universal Reality Combat Championship (URCC), Pacific Xtreme Combat (PXC), and ONE Fighting Championship (ONE FC) have also competed on Arte Suave Manila’s mats: Drex “The T-Rex” Zamboanga, Hideo “Death from Tokyo” Morikawa, Burnard “The Hitman” Soriano, CJ “The Golden Boy” De Tomas, and Rolando “Dy Incredible” Dy. De Tomas and Dy are currently both signed with the UFC.

“Every time we hear about competitors and superfighters winning abroad, it motivates us to keep improving on our event,” continues Rulloda. “Creating and giving value to every fighter who joins our event has always been the driving force behind Arte Suave Manila.”

“We’re proud to be the home and presenter of a competition that contributes to the growth of the local BJJ community,” adds Tagle-Dinglasan.

The lifestyle expo will once again feature apparel, gear, and nutrition brands that cater to combat sport practitioners and enthusiasts.

Registration to Arte Suave Manila 2018 runs from August 1 to October 15, 2018. Individual registration fee is Php1,700.00, which already lets a competitor join both gi and no gi events. A Group 4+1 Promo (Php6,800.00 for five participants from a single team) is also offered within the same period. Information on the registration process, weight divisions, and competition rules are available on the Arte Suave Manila Facebook page (www.facebook.com/artesuavemanila).

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About Arte Suave Manila

Arte Suave Manila is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu competition and lifestyle expo presented by Commercenter Alabang in partnership with Triumvirate Fighting and Stratminds. The event is supported by Ikiro Jiu-Jitsu (Major Partner), Samsung (Technology Partner), Functional Fitness Performance Center, Supima Fitness, Noughts & Crosses, The Third Stripe, Fightbro, and Gatorade.

About Commercenter Alabang

Commercenter Alabang is a community mall located in Filinvest City, Alabang, Muntinlupa City owned and operated by Philippine Allied Enterprises Corporation (PAEC). The lifestyle hub features a unique mix of shops and restaurants that cater to the distinct tastes of the South. Find Commercenter on Facebook (www.facebook.com/commercenter) and Instagram (@commercenter) for more information.