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By Patrick Lujan

Guam’s John Meno (L) and Mike Carbullido (R) both won gold in their purple belt divisions in San Diego’s Abu Dhabi Trials. Carbullido went on to win the absolute gold to advance to the World Championships in April. (courtesy photo)
Twenty-one-year-old Mike Carbullido continues to show his world-class jiu-jitu skills as he won double gold in the purple belt division over the weekend in the Abu Dhabi Trials in San Diego, Calif.
With the absolute gold, Carbullido won an all-expense-paid trip to compete in the Abu Dhabi World Championships in April – one of the biggest jiu-jitsu tournaments in the world.
“I feel really good,” an ecstatic Carbullido said after the competition. “I felt so confident. This is my year. I do this every single day, all day, and all the hard work paid off.”
Carbullido won the heavyweight gold medal on Saturday to advance to the absolute heavy round the next day. That’s where he easily beat three bigger men to get to the finals where he took the gold under a ‘gentlemen’s agreement’ over a teammate.
“Those guys were dankulu (big),” Carbullido said. “The Guam boys that came out to support me said they’ve never seen me look so small on the mat.”
Carbullido competes at 198-lbs. in a 208-lb division. In the absolute division, it’s all the gold medal winners 183-lbs. and above.
On his path to the gold, he beat bigger opponents by choke, kimura and outpointed his semifinal opponent 7-0.
This was his third try at a slot in the Abu Dhabi Worlds, coming up short that last two years despite winning his division in those tournaments.
“Last year was my first (as a purple belt) and I choked. I wasn’t aggressive enough,” he added. “I told myself there is nothing to lose and just go out there and get it.”
Carbullido will be joining five youth players from Guam who will be participating in the World Kids Cup the day before the Worlds begins.
Fellow Chamorro teammate John Meno made the purple belt absolute after winning the lightweight division on Saturday, but lost his second match in the absolute light division on Sunday.
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GPS Sports Calendar
December 2023
- SU
- MO
- TU
- WE
- TH
- FR
- SA
Events for November
1st
ISA BOYS SOCCER
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
2nd
IRON LEGENDS THROWDOWN
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
Events for December
4th
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER
ISA BOYS SOCCER
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
5th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL QUARTERFINALS
Events for December
5th
Events for December
7th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER PLAYOFFS
Events for December
9th
40th GRC PLUMERIA ROAD RACE
GUAM RUGBY INTERNATIONAL 7s TOURNAMENT
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL SEMIFINALS
Events for December
10th
TOUR OF GUAM 2023
GUAM RUGBY INTERNATIONAL 7s TOURNAMENT
Events for December
11th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER SEMIFINALS
Events for December
12th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
12th
Events for December
14th
ISA HS BASEBALL
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER FINALS
Events for December
15th
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
IIAAG GIRLS BASKETBALL FINALS
Events for December
16th
3rd GUAM NINJA CHAMPIONSHIP
ISA HS BASEBALL
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
Events for December
16th
Events for December
18th
IIAAG BOYS SOCCER ALL-ISLAND MEETING
Events for December
19th
ISA HS BASEBALL
ISA GIRLS BASKETBALL
Events for December
19th
Events for December
23rd
HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING
ISA HS BASEBALL FINALS
Events for December
23rd
Events for December
24th
Events for December
25th
Events for December
27th
Events for December
29th
- 31
- 1
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
Events for December
30th

Baseball
ROYALS DOWN FRIARS IN STATEMENT GAME

Basketball
3×3 HOOPS REPEAT AS GOLDEN BOYS

Basketball
RAPADAS LEADS WILD COUGAR COMEBACK

Baseball
GUAM HOSTS KIWIS IN U15 BASEBALL

Basketball
SHARKS FEND OFF DOLPHINS IN GIRLS HOOPS

Baseball
ROYALS DOWN FRIARS IN STATEMENT GAME
COMING SOON …
- IIAAG Girls Basketball Playoffs