Tiger Schulmann's students showcase martial arts talents

Monroe - Students from Tiger Schulmann’s Mixed Martial Arts of Monroe Woodbury competed victoriously at the Challenge of Champions XXIII Mixed Martial Arts competition, held at the Meadowlands Exposition Center in Secaucus, N.J., on Dec. 2. Held twice a year, Challenge of Champions is the largest mixed martial arts competition in the United States. This past Challenge of Champions XXIII was the largest yet, hosting nearly 2,000 competitors of all ages and belt ranks participating in nearly 300 divisions of head-to-head mixed martial arts competition. The event took place in front of a sold out crowd of more than 3,000 spectators (with an additional 500 volunteer staff). “Challenge of Champions provides the opportunity for competition amongst fellow students from throughout the 46 Tiger Schulmann’s locations. They train hard and focus on maximizing their skills for this demanding competition,” said Sensei Montes, head instructor, at the Tiger Schulmann’s Mixed Martial Arts School in Monroe Woodbury. “Through preparing for this event our students gain confidence, focus and determination. It gives them a tough competitive goal to work towards and provides great motivation and discipline for further challenges. I’m always proud of my students and I’m especially proud of those who competed in the Challenge of Champions. In the end, they’re all champions in my eyes.” The areas of competition included submission grappling and free fighting, for junior competitors, ages 15 and under and for adults of all ages. Submission grappling is the largest event in the tournament with more than 1,400 competitors and consists of close-range and ground fighting (similar to wrestling) with some primary differences. Submission grappling has finishing or submission techniques such as choke holds and joint locks, which can end a match quickly and are also extremely effective in real-life self-defense scenarios. Although many real life self defense situations end up on the ground, most martial arts and boxing styles neglect this aspect of training. Winners from the Monroe Woodbury Tiger Schulmann’s Mixed Martial Arts School in the submission grappling competition included: Luke Kobylinski, John Bourke Jr., Erin Bourke, Amanda Salvatore, Samantha Rivera, Stephanie Gundermann, Connor Fitzgerald, Kristen Villani, Justin Benbow, Shane Burgos, Linda Tarsio, Natalya King and Lori Kapusinski. The free fighting competition featured competitors wearing protective gear and using a variety of strikes, blocks and targeted kicks to outscore their opponent. Nearly 1,000 students participated in this fast-paced sparring competition. Winners from the Monroe Woodbury Tiger Schulmann’s School included: Dylan LeRoy, Connor Massey, Louis Libutti, Ryan Mende, Stephanie Gundermann, Anthony Kressevich, Connor Fitzgerald, Kristen Villani, Justin Benbow, Carl Storkman, Yael Martinez, Natalya King and Mary Jayne Fitzgerald. Also as honorable mention: Jake McGee, Dylan Nazari, Chase Overpeck, Kahlei Barschow, Christopher Egan, Nicholas Solek, David Yu, Michael Donovan, Justin Lorentzen, Samantha Dynda, John Encke, Tristen Santiago, Arun Balaraman, Marc Torres, Samantha Kressevich, Calvin Jara, Eric Frei, Larry Vollmer and Victor Fernandez. Challenge of Champions was introduced over a decade ago in 1996 to promote the values gained from the oldest sport of competition and has grown to become the largest tournament of its kind in the United States. Tiger Schulmann’s instructors are dedicated to offering the highest quality of martial arts instruction to their students. They have trained more than 80,000 students nationwide and are helping to shape the martial arts for future generations. To find the Tiger Schulmann’s Center nearest you, call 1-800-52-TIGER.