MASGA QUALIFIES FOR TEAM USA PARAJITSU GAMES

By Patrick Lujan

Turning tragedy into triumph is the ultimate test of human resilience.

Ben Masga is showing such resilience and is taking life-changing adversity, making good as he qualified for Team USA’s squad for the World Para Jiu-Jitsu Championship in Abu Dhabi on November 10.

He is the first from Guam to qualify for the para jiu-jitsu worlds.

The tragedy stems from a 2015 motorcycle accident in San Antonio, Texas that left the 40-year-old former Toto resident with an amputated left leg below the knee. It was just one year removed from military service with the Guam Army National Guard.

 “I had a mental (PTSD) attack while riding when a vehicle almost hit me, causing me to hit a man hole and I flew over 20 feet,” Masga recalls. “My military training kicked in where I triaged myself, calling the ambulance and applying basic lifesaving skills.”

Masga spent nine years in the Guam Guard with three deployments (two to Africa and one to Afghanistan).

Six years after the motorcycle accident, Masga was inspired to give jiu-jitsu a try.

“My wife (Desiree) always wanted to do it. My oldest son and my youngest followed and then I found the We Defy Foundation. They sponsored me for a year. What keeps me going is my health, mental health and one day to wrap a black belt around my wife and two sons (Jayden and Kaleb).”

ROAD TO QUALIFYING

Masga’s first step to qualify was at the 2024 Dallas Qualifier when, as a blue belt, he did the unusual by defeating a black belt and brown belt on his way to his weight division title.

Now a purple belt, Masga took part in Team USA tryouts and was the first to be selected so far.

“To qualify for para jiu-jitsu there’s over 20+ categories such as above or below knee, above or below elbow, double amputee, deaf/hearing impaired and also mental disabilities. To qualify for Team USA, we had to attend the try out and open mat/free rolling to see skills as well as have the technical knowledge,” Masga explained. “I saw my nephew was battling cancer and I said if this little boy can fight cancer, I can push myself and compete. My first competition was Tap Cancer Out.”

INTEREST STARTED ON GUAM

Though he didn’t begin his real BJJ journey until he moved to Texas, he credits his interest to his roots on Guam.

“My first introduction was in Guam during my high school years in the early 2000’s. A group of us boys from Toto would meet up and learn from some Gracie VHS tapes, some UFC DVDs and backyard style.”

Masga’s first taste of a combative program came while in the Guam Army National Guard. Today, he trains at North South Jiu-Jitsu in Richardson, Texas under Professor Rodrigo Lopes.

He is a 2004 graduate of GW from Toto and his wife Desiree is a 2005 Sanchez graduate from Yigo.