WILLEMSTAD – Sixteen-year-old Curaçao MMA fighter Jae-Sun Girigorie recorded an impressive international victory at CUFF 23 in Trinidad & Tobago, defeating his 17-year-old Venezuelan opponent in just 27 seconds of the first round.
Girigorie, who represents IMMARTIAL - Athlete Centre in Curaçao, secured the victory with a standing guillotine choke, forcing his opponent to submit.
According to his gym, the young fighter immediately imposed a high pace and constant pressure, giving his opponent little opportunity to settle into the fight before the submission ended the contest.
The victory follows a period of training in Europe, where Girigorie worked with several gyms to further develop his skills. While in the Netherlands, he also competed in a no-gi grappling tournament.
Girigorie won three of his four matches at that tournament, each in less than one minute. His first match ended in a disqualification after he used a technique that was not permitted in his competition category.
For the event in Trinidad & Tobago, Girigorie traveled with his coach Jairzinho Kowsoleea.
Gideon Jonker, owner of IMMARTIAL, said Girigorie's young age means there is still considerable room for development as he gains more training and competition experience.
Mixed Martial Arts, commonly known as MMA, combines techniques from several combat sports, including boxing, kickboxing, wrestling, judo and Brazilian jiujitsu. Fighters compete both standing and on the ground.
A bout can end through a knockout, technical knockout, judges' decision or submission. A submission occurs when a fighter gives up after being caught in a choke or joint lock, as happened in Girigorie's victory in Trinidad.
Amateur MMA generally operates under stricter safety rules than professional competition. The techniques permitted can vary according to the governing organization, age category and individual event.
Girigorie is now preparing for his next appearance in front of a home crowd. He is scheduled to compete on November 14 in Curaçao during HONOR Fight League.
His team is specifically seeking an MMA bout for the event. According to Jonker, although Girigorie also competes in grappling, MMA is the discipline the young Curaçao fighter prefers as he continues his development in the sport.