USAG HUMPHREYS, South Korea — There was a high level of excitement and anticipation in the air as the combatants warmed up and prepared themselves for the day’s event. Spectators watched as their competitors stretched, jumped rope, discussed tactics with coaches or participated in light-hearted debate about what each hoped would be his or her path to ultimate victory for the day, receiving the title of 2019 Red Dragon Royal Rumble Combatives Champion.
The tournament kicked off with 22 competitors, Pfc. Melita Blue, an intel analyst, and Pfc. Dora Arzabala, a religious affairs specialist, both from Headquarters, Headquarters Detachment, 524th Military Intelligence Battalion, 501st Military Intelligence Brigade, represented for the female warriors throughout the brigade.
In the open weight class, level-one certified combatives tournament competitors faced double elimination to determine who would advance to the finals. The Soldiers competing ranged from private to captain.
“I enjoyed watching, not only some crazy good fights and good submissions, but especially [watching] the Soldiers I trained using the fundamentals of what they were taught in order to achieve the mount, in order to get their chokes in, and watching everyone in the crowd supporting them and getting excited for these fights,” said level two certified combatives instructor, Staff Sgt. Elijah Fairs, schools and special projects NCO for 524th MI Battalion.
Fairs said he created the tournament for all the Soldiers in the brigade that love combatives and who had expressed interest in getting a chance to compete to see who was, “really the best.”
Fairs said one of the biggest obstacles to the tournament was getting everyone who wanted to compete level one combatives certified in time for the tournament. He explained that with the busy work schedules throughout the brigade not everyone had been able to attend the classes. To remedy this, Fairs conducted two week-long combatives courses and a few additional half-day classes to enable more participation in the tournament.
When asked how she felt about the tournament, Blue said she gained confidence from participating and learned to never underestimate herself. Arzabala said she felt very proud of herself for stepping up as there were only two females in the competition. Both ladies said they planned on competing next time and would encourage other females from the brigade to compete as well.
Sergeant Brandon Ramos-Pacanza, a cryptologic linguist assigned to Alpha Company, 532nd MI Battalion, said, “No weight classes, this is the first time I have ever done anything like that. It’s crazy.” Ramos-Pacanza placed fourth in the tournament, was previously certified, and said he would definitely compete in the next tournament.
During the tournament each competitor had to complete between five and eight, two-round matches. Fighters were awarded points for achieving the dominant position and for reversing positions. The winner of the match was determined when one of the fighters was forced to submit, or if both fighters lasted through till the end of the second round, the competitor with the most points won the match. In all matched leading up to the finals, only grappling was allowed.
“I think the thing that helped me the most was the gauntlet, because it helps with your stamina. I went versus everyone in the combatives course. I had one 30 second break, it shows you how to hang on when you are tired, when you want to quit, because I rolled for 25 minutes. At that point you have to dig deep; it’s not skill it’s heart,” said Pfc. Brandon Brooks, a human intelligence collector, also assigned to Alpha Company, 532nd MI Battalion. Brooks, who placed second in the tournament, said before the next tournament he would like to get more comfortable on his feet, both performing take-downs and striking.
Private 1st Class Terrald Singleton, human resources specialist with HHD, 524th MI Battalion, said he would definitely be in the next tournament, but that he wanted to work on his technique. “There were times where I was thinking, oh goodness, I'm gonna get submitted, and I started to panic. But then there was my coach, Specialist Smead, and he's like, calm down, breathe, just slow down and think about your next move. So I just took it from there.” This was good advice as he “took it from there” all the way to place third in the tournament.
During the final fights striking was permitted to the upper body. Competitors donned headgear and fingerless boxing gloves, to still allow them to grapple, and stepped up to the challenge.
In the end, Pfc. Ricardo Penunuri, was able to force Brooks to submit and named the ultimate winner of the tournament. Penunuri, a military police officer at Headquarters, Headquarters Service Company, 719th MI Battalion, and a former San Diego, California, police officer, said what he liked the most about the tournament was “the camaraderie, the sportsmanship; you know, bringing everybody together.”
The tournament finished up in late in the day with Col. Jamie Walsh, commander of the 501st Military Intelligence Brigade, presiding over the award ceremony, presenting trophies and congratulating the winners. He also presented Fairs with a brigade coin in recognition for all of his hard work planning, organizing and executing a successful tournament.
The 501st Military Intelligence Brigade provides indications and early warning of actions by opposing forces who could threaten the tense, but stable, peace in the Republic of Korea. In the event of hostilities, the brigade’s mission shifts to providing combined, multi-discipline intelligence and force protection support to the United Nations Command/Combined Forces Command, the CFC Ground Component Command and their subordinate units.
| Date Taken: | 10.23.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 11.18.2019 19:07 |
| Story ID: | 352254 |
| Location: | PYEONGTAEK, 41, KR |
| Web Views: | 40 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Red Dragons Host First Brigade-wide Combatives Tournament, by Kurt Van Slooten, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
LEAVE A COMMENT