Grappling, which is promoted by the best known mix martial arts team, the Team Lakay, will be one of the sport events to be featured in the Benguet Martial Arts Festival this month.

At least 300 participants are expected to see action in grappling, taekwondo and arnis in this month’s festival which will be set on three different playing dates.

The festival is a grassroots sports program of the province and an avenue where athletes can showcase their talents, said Benguet sports coordinator Dean Mark Monang.

“It is one way on how we can hone the talents of our athletes since Benguet and the Cordillera is known for its martial artists and this is also one way of helping them improve and develop their skills,” explained Monang.

It will be headlined by Team Lakay’s grappling competition on September 24 and will focus on clinching and ground fighting.

Started in 2008, the Team Lakay offering will be on its 39th staging and according to coach Mark Sangiao, has helped in producing several world champions in different international mixed martial arts organizations such as ONE Championship with five, and one each in Brave Combat Federation and Pacific X-Treme Combat.

The on etime SEAG gold medalist wushu sanda said that grappling tilt also aims to develop MMA fighters in their submission skills through the use of submission holds which brings together techniques from folk wrestling, judo, Greco-Roman wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, jujutsu (of the traditional form), and sambo.

Submission forms can be used as an element of a larger sport setting common in MMA, he added.

The event also aims to develop the skills of local MMA enthusiasts and prepare them for higher levels of combative sports.

Interested participants may contact coach Sangiao thru cell phone number (0966)174-0017.

Prior to the grappling competition, arnis will open the martial arts fest set on Sept. 23 and interested participants may contact coach Maryann Mapangdol at (0963)792-0254, while the taekwondo jins wanting to join the competition slated on Sept. 30, may reach coach Danrey Velo at (0998)-953-7537. Team Lakay. Pigeon Lobien