MY PRIVILEGED WORLD OF MARTIAL ARTS
By Jay de Leon
Part Two

Chances are, you will not recognize many of the faces here, unlike in Part One. Most of them will neither be masters nor guros, although there is a big chance they are very talented martial artists.  But many of them will be dear friends and close to my heart.  They were part and parcel of my martial arts journey.

This part of the pictorial also includes a few group pictures of my Tipunan seminars and events, garage dojos and sundry events like workout sessions and entertainment events.

I think I may be forgiven for including many pictures of my family, especially my children, for two excuses.  One is that my children were also my students.  Two is that my family, including brothers and sisters and extended family, made up my support group in many of my martial arts endeavors.  Many of them attended and helped with my seminars, and even travelled to the Philippines with me for training camps, like my sister Cris.  One of my brothers-in-law, Brett, is a jiu-jitsu practitioner and all-around athlete.

Again, there is no rhyme or reason to the sequence of  photographs.  Just enjoy. 

Opening ceremonies at the Gala Night of the 3rd FMA World
Festival at the Heritage Hotel in Manila in 2006.

  This event takes place every two years at different venues
in the Philippines, and is sponsored by the International
Modern Arnis Federation of the Philippines (IMAFP)
headquartered in Manila, Philippines.

This was the “singkil” dance number at the Gala Night of the
3rd FMA World Festival in Manila in 2006.

This was the choral number at the Gala Night of the
3rd FMA World Festival in Manila in 2006.

Jay de Leon (right), with training partner Sylvia of Deutsche
 Arnis Verband (DAV) of Germany at the Gala Night of the
3rd FMA World Festival in Manila, Philippines on July 2006.

Jay de Leon (right), with training partner Sylvia of Deutsche
 Arnis Verband (DAV) of Germany at the training camp of the
3rd FMA World Festival in Cavite, Philippines on July 2006.

Mitch, Jay and Paulina de Leon at the Gala Night
of the  3rd FMA World Festival in Manila,
Philippines  on July 2006.

This is FFAI yellow belt junior Paulina de Leon of
Murrieta, California, who happens to be my daughter. 
She is now 17 years old, and she will be mortified to
learn I included this picture.   Photo taken at the
Filipino Fighting Arts USA dojo in Wildomar,
California, USA (near Murrieta and Temecula).

From left to right, Chris Turla, Joe Gabriel, Ryan Greene and Bob Park.
They are students of the late GM Elmer Ybanez out of Seattle, Washington,
USA, and the current inheritors of his system called LESKAS, or Lema 
Scientific Kali Arnis System, derived from the late GM Benjamin Luna-
Lema’s Lightning Scientific Arnis.   In 2004, they performed a demo at the
Palms  Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA  in honor of GM Ybanez’s passing.

Cris Rugprayoon, sister of Jay de Leon, poses in front of
 GM Rey Galang’s oversized poster of his book, “Warrior Arts
 of the Philippines,” at the Tipunan sa Disneyland held at the
 Hilton Hotel in Anaheim, California, USA in 2005.
She has provided financial as well as moral support to many
of my martial arts projects and events, such as this one.

Jay de Leon (right), with loyal supporter David Koltoniuk,
 a LAMECO stylist, at the mini-seminar, Tipunan sa Glendora,
held at Steve Aron’s Temple of the Garage, in Glendora,
 California, USA in 2006.

Jay de Leon (right), with participant and supporter Gerie
at the Tipunan sa Disneyland at the Hilton Hotel
in Anaheim, California on Aug. 2005.

Guro Damian Romero of Los Angeles demonstrates
a technique called “Up the Creek With a Paddle”
 at the Tipunan sa Disneyland at the Hilton Hotel
in Anaheim, California on Aug. 2005.  The paddle
was actually a gift to Mitch de Leon from GM
Solomon Kaihewalu of Lua who was a guest
instructor at the event.  The paddle is one of the
many weapons utilized in the Lua system.

Jay de Leon (right), with son Mitch at the casting call for
“Next  Martial Arts Superstar” held at the Universal
Amphitheater in Los Angeles, California in 2004.   Note
 their matching shirts denoting staff for the event.  And yes,
Mitch has grown probably a couple more inches since then.

Archive photo.  Mitch de Leon (right) and Michael Long of Filipino
Fighting Arts Int’l  (FFAI) work out at the San Jose garage dojo. 
Michael has belt rankings in kenpo from Jay Auen’s school and two
other kenpo schools, including United Studios of Self-Defense. 
Mitch is actually wearing a white belt with his gi.  His kiai and
 fighting spirit were black belt level, though.

Archive photo.  Mitch de Leon of Filipino Fighting Arts
Int’l (right) works out with Jay de Leon’s arnis dummy
at the San Jose garage dojo.  Mitch used to “play fight”
with adults at this dojo at this age.

Mitch de Leon (center) flanked by GM Cristino Vasquez (right) and
Jay de Leon of the International Modern Arnis Federation of the
Philippines (IMAFP) at the 3rd FMA World Festival in Cavite,
Philippines in July 2006.

Jay de Leon (right), with Linda Bustamante at the casting
 call for “Next Martial Art Superstar” held at the Universal
Amphitheater in Los Angeles, California in 2004.

Jay de Leon (left), with kickboxer, JKD stylist and actor
Ed English at the casting call for “Next Martial Arts Superstar”
 held at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, California
in 2004.   The “Next Martial Arts Superstar” was a TV reality
show.

Jay de Leon (right), with Deanna Bivins at the casting call for
 “Next Martial Arts Superstar” held at the Universal Amphitheater
 in Los Angeles, California on 2004.  She is a superb martial
artist and a colleague at the WorldBlackBelt “America-
in-Defense” program.

Jay de Leon (right), with contestant Crystal, a TaeKwonDo forms
champion, at the casting call for “Next Martial Arts Superstar” held
at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, California on 2004.

Jay de Leon (right), with contestant Amanda from Seattle
at the casting call for “Next Martial Arts Superstar” held
at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, California on 2004.

Jay de Leon (right), with contestant Ungenita at the casting call
for “Next Martial Arts Superstar” held at the Universal
Amphitheater  in Los Angeles, California in 2004.

Jay de Leon (left), with a contestant at the casting call for
“Next Martial Arts Superstar” held at the Universal
Amphitheater in Los Angeles, California in 2004.

Jay de Leon (left), with contestant Amazon (that is her name)
at the casting call for “Next Martial Arts Superstar” held
at the Universal Amphitheater in Los Angeles, California
in 2004.  She billed herself as the next “Grace Jones” of
the  action movies.  Here, she shows her soft side with me.

Jay de Leon (left), with a staff member at the casting call
 for “Next Martial Arts Superstar” held at the Universal
Amphitheater in Los Angeles, California, USA in 2004.

Jay de Leon with one of the competing teams at the casting call of
“Next Martial Arts Superstar”held  at the Universal
Amphitheater in Los Angeles, California, USA in 2004.

Jay de Leon (right) with Charity Ugalde, a student of Hans
Ingebretsen .  She is ecstatic at having passed her brown
belt test held in Campbell, California on August, 2007.

Jay de Leon (right) with Ariel, a Hans Ingebretsen student who
 assisted  with the belt test held at Campbell, California
 on August, 2007.

Some junior tournament fighters who called themselves “Virulent
Tigers” at GM Rey Galang’s Bakbakan Tournament held in
Manila, Philippines in July 2006.  See banner below.

Banner of GM Rey Galang’s Bakbakan Tournament held in Manila,
Philippines in July 2006, a day after the 3rd FMA World Festival. 

Another “Virulent Tiger” who fought at  GM Rey Galang’s
Bakbakan Tournament held in Manila, Philippines
 in July 2006.

Jay de Leon (left) with son Michael at a seafood restaurant
called “The Boiling Pot” in Austin, Texas in April, 2008.

  Michael Long (left) and Jay de Leon of Filipino Fighting Arts USA with
 a furious display of double sticks expertise, at the Mini-Tipunan held at
the American Tiger dojo at Westminster, California, USA in 2009. 
Michael is a brown belt with FFA-USA and has been training in
several styles of the martial arts since he was 4 years old.

  Michael Long (right) and Jay de Leon of Filipino Fighting Arts USA do
 some boxing sparring at the Mini-Tipunan held at the American Tiger
dojo at Westminster, California, USA in 2009.  Did Jay de Leon just
tag his son Michael with a right cross?

Reunion of Filipino Fighting Arts USA – Michael Long, Jay de Leon, and
 Sam Sadler.  These three trained together at the Filipino Fighting Arts – USA
 Laguna Hills dojo in south Orange County, California several years ago.  
Notice the stylish  MMA tees.  Photo taken at the Mini-Tipunan held at the
 American Tiger dojo in Westminster, California, USA in 2009. 

Jay de Leon (center) with brother Leo de Leon (left) and family friend
 Vic Jurado at a family gathering in Los Angeles, California in 2006.

Jay de Leon (in black t-shirt) with special guests at the Tipunan
sa Disneyland at the Hilton Hotel in Anaheim, California
in July 2005—three former classmates from the Ateneo
de Manila and former Senator Robert Jaworski and his
son from the Philippines (directly behind Jay de Leon).

Jay de Leon (extreme right) with the first batch of Filipino
Fighting Arts USA students in Burbank, California
 in the late 80’s.  The garage dojo is at the left of the
picture, and the pool and Jacuzzi are behind them.

This is the Reverend Sherman Rourman, who was the very first
black belt of Filipino Fighting Arts Int’l (FFAI), around the
early 90’s.  After this location closed, Sherman went on to have
his own garage dojo with many Cambodian youths as students,
 and to become a champion in weapons competition in the Los
 Angeles area.  But more than all that, he credits me with making
a fighter out of him.  You should be able to read his inscription
 on the photo.  “…and how you would do it…” refers to the long
hours of hard contact sparring we did.  He was a hardcore
 black belt, in the tradition of FFAI.

Jay de Leon with students of Filipino Fighting Arts USA in a
Chinese restaurant after a workout with Steve Aron at his
 Temple of the Garage in Glendora, California in 2005.
Yes, the two students standing at the back are twins, but
they trained at different locations, one in San Jose, and
the other in Orange County, California, USA.

Jay de Leon with some students of Filipino Fighting Arts USA
at the garage dojo in San Jose, California in the 1990’s.  The
 student to my immediate left, MarkAnthony Meditz, worked as
 an armed courier then, and is currently serving with the US
military in Afghanistan, communicating with me on a regular basis. 
The student directly behind me, David Pfeiffer, was a US Marine
  who had just returned from Desert Storm when he joined the
school.  The San Jose garage dojo was the toughest garage dojo
I ever ran, and I was at my peak fighting form ever at this time
because of the hard cases in the school.  I also went through a hard
divorce at this time, which ratcheted up my mean quotient a few
points and made me want that hard, physical contact.

Jay de Leon (right), with author and publisher Nina Terol at the
Gala Night of the 3rd FMA World Festival in Manila, Philippines
on July 2006.  Nina Terol is the wife of FMA practitioner and
 musical performer Jean Paul Zialcita.

Among other products, these are the new Philippine comic books
that are being promoted by Jean Paul Zialcita and Nina Terol.

The young Filipino artists who author these comic books use their
 graphic and storytelling skills and fuse Filipino Martial Arts (FMA),
 folklore and fantasy in this exciting medium.

Jay de Leon (right) with friend Dino Pineda at Dino’s workout
room at his residence at Wack Wack, Mandaluyong, Philippines
in 2007.  Dino is a YawYan fighter.  Here, we were examining
Dino’s YawYan striking posts, which are unique to YawYan.  They
are a cross between a banana kicking bag and a full-length
 “makiwara.”

Dino Pineda executing full force shin kicks to the YawYan striking
 post while his instructor Coach Louie Yap holds the post for him.
 Note backpack filled with weights strapped to his back.  Coach
Louie Yap is a former YawYan professional ring fighter.

Several dancers of the Palawan Dance Troupe from
the Palawan State University in Palawan, Philippines
 after their performance in Artesia, California, USA
on Oct. 12, 2007.

Jay de Leon (right) with Dr. Juan Pablo Nanagas, after lunch at
 the Spiral Restaurant of the Sofitel Hotel on Roxas Blvd., Manila
 in November of 2007.  Johnny, or Dr. J, is a former classmate
at the Ateneo de Manila and my judo sparring partner at the
Ateneo de Manila High School Judo Club.  A medical doctor, he
 is also a Colonel in the Philippine Marines reserves, an Olympic
 archery coach and a former Undersecretary of the Department
of Health of the Philippines.

Col. Juan Pablo Nanagas of the Phil. Marines reserves (see
 jacket patch) at one of our dinners.  He sees anti-insurgency
military action regularly in Mindanao commanding an
armored division unit, sometimes in joint US military
action like the Balikatan.

Seated, from left to right, Jay de Leon, Godofredo Fajardo and host
Baby Boy Poblador.  Standing, Rei Samson.  Baby Boy Poblador is
another classmate at Ateneo de Manila, a champion golfer and avid
sportsman.  Here, he hosted a dinner for us at the restaurant of the
 Wack Wack Country Club, Mandaluyong, Philippines on Dec., 2007.

Rei Samson (extreme left), founder of Salaknib Martial Arts System
and Commissioner of the Cordillera for Filipino Fighting Arts Int’l
(FFAI), poses with some tournament winners of the Baguio
Arnis Encounter 2008.

Linda Bustamante is a goju-ryu black belt, an actress,
a writer and a martial arts performer.  She resides
and goes to college in Texas, USA.  She is a dear
friend to my son Mitch and myself.

Linda Bustamante from Texas, USA strikes
a pose with her arnis double sticks.

Linda Bustamante from Texas, USA demonstrates
her awesome flexibility.

This is my IMAFP bodyguard, guro Panni Nagen (right) practicing
live knife drills with Raquel Horna, another IMAFP Modern
arnis  practitioner, in Manila, Philippines.

Ms. Rose Sorooshian (left), was a fellow instructor at the American
Tiger dojo in Westminster, California, USA.  She taught kung fu
while I taught arnis and kickboxing.  Here, she is pictured with
 black belt student Alex in 2008.

Jeremiah Stanley (left) with Michael Johnson right after the belt test
at Hans Ingebretsen’s Shinbukan dojo in Campbell, California, USA
on Aug., 2007.  Jeremiah tested for his nidan or 2nd Dan belt in jiu-jitsu
with Mike as his “uke” or partner who gets the brunt of your throws,
chokes and other techniques.  Don’t let that smiling face fool you,
Mike was a tough “uke.”  Jeremiah is also now a Modern Arnis
lakan guro with Filipino Fighting Arts Int’l (FFAI).

Jay de Leon with members of the powerhouse team from Tacurong, Cotabato
at the 3rd Remy Presas Training Camp and Tournament in Bacolod City,
Negros Occidental, Philippines, in Dec. 2009.  The ladies were surprised to
to find out that Jay de Leon has actually been to Tacurong as a young man,
 and actually lived and worked in that part of Cotabato for almost two years.

Group picture of a session at Tipunan sa Disneyland held at the Hilton Hotel
in Anaheim, California, USA on Aug., 2005.

Group picture of Mini-Tipunan sa Los Angeles in Toluca Lake, California, USA
in 2005.  Main instructor was GM Topher Ricketts, extreme right, assisted
by son Bruce Ricketts, extreme left.  Jay de Leon is kneeling, extreme right. 

Participants of the 2nd FMA National Festival held in Sagay City,
Negros Occidental, Philippines on March, 2009 led by masters and
 guros of the International Modern Arnis Federation of the
Philippines (IMAFP) including Master Godofredo Fajardo, Jimson
Dearos, Paolo Motita, Panni Nagen, and Liza Masicampo.

Clockwise, Jay de Leon, GM Bambit Dulay, Liza Masicampo, Edwin Velasquez
of Jolo, and Carolyn Dean from Great Britain enjoy evening refreshments
at an outdoor restaurant after a training day at the 3rd Prof. Remy Presas
Training Camp in Bacolod City, Negros Occidental, Philippines in Dec., 2009.

From left to right, Paolo Motita of Manila, Trisha Lim of Bacolod
City and Carolyn Dean of Great Britain pose in front of Robinson’s
Mall after the 3rd Prof. Remy Presas Tournament in Bacolod City,
Negros Occidental, Philippines in Dec., 2009.

Modern Arnis, as practiced by the Jordan military.  The Jordan military is
trained by the guros of Filipino Fighting Arts – Jordan under Guro Wail Irshaid
and Guro Wail Yahya, direct students of Master Godofredo Fajardo while he
taught in Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

Group picture of arnis seminar conducted in Jordan by Guro Wail Yahya of Filipino Fighting Arts Jordan in 2008.  Peace to our Moslem, Jewish and Christian brothers
 in the Middle East, especially the youth.  May arnis bring them together.

The hope of arnis in the future?  Medalists of the kids’ division of the
3rd Open National Sports Arnis Tournament on Dec., 2008 held at the
San Andres Complex in Manila, Philippines.  Dubbed “Arnis--Pambansang
Palakasan,” it was jointly sponsored by the International Modern Arnis
Federation of the Philippines (IMAFP) under Master Godofredo Fajardo,
 and Manila Mayor Alfredo S. Lim.

Giant statues at the Rizal Park, (Luneta), Manila, Philippines reenact
the execution of Dr. Jose Rizal by the Spaniards on Dec. 30, 1896 .
 May Dr. Rizal  inspire us to uplift the Philippines.  Mabuhay ang
Pilipinas at ang arnis! 

Copyright, Jay de Leon, 2010

No part of this article may be reproduced or reprinted without the express, written consent of the author.