BAGUIO CITY, Philippines — The Team Lakay Grapplers Cup, a key event in the Cordillera region’s growing mixed martial arts (MMA) community, returns for its 42nd edition on September 22 with a tougher and more diverse field of competitors.
Over the years, the competition has been instrumental in developing world-class athletes, with Team Lakay producing champions on the international stage. This year, for the second time, the event is part of the Benguet Martial Arts Festival, which celebrates the region’s rich martial arts heritage while honing the skills of aspiring fighters.
Coach Mark Sangiao, founder of Team Lakay, noted how the tournament has evolved since its inception more than a decade ago. Originally focused on local talent from Baguio and Benguet, the competition has since expanded to include participants from outside the Cordillera, with many up-and-coming professional fighters testing their grappling skills.
“The tournament has been attracting more participants, and the level of competition has become stiffer,” Sangiao said. “Our rules have become more systematic and technical, and our officials regularly undergo training to ensure the event runs smoothly.”
Since the first Grapplers Cup in 2008, Team Lakay has produced multiple world champions across several international MMA organizations, including five in ONE Championship, one in Brave Combat Federation, and one in Pacific X-Treme Combat.
The tournament emphasizes submission grappling techniques drawn from folk wrestling, judo, Greco-Roman wrestling, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, traditional jujutsu, and sambo. These skills are vital for MMA fighters seeking to sharpen their ground game.
This year’s event, to be held at the Benguet Sports Complex gymnasium, marks a significant shift. For the first time, Team Lakay will not enter the competition as the defending champion after being dethroned by Checkmat Philippines in the previous edition.
Sangiao, however, welcomes the increased competition.
“We are very proud to see some of our former grapplers specialize in Brazilian jiu-jitsu,” he said. “More gyms and teams from outside Baguio and Benguet are joining, making the competition tougher, which is great for the development of the sport.”
The 42nd Team Lakay Grapplers Cup is expected to draw fighters from across the country, all vying for the chance to prove themselves in one of the region’s premier MMA events.
