{"id":267263,"date":"2017-12-29T06:04:23","date_gmt":"2017-12-28T20:04:23","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/?p=267263"},"modified":"2017-12-29T06:04:23","modified_gmt":"2017-12-28T20:04:23","slug":"crank-gets-first-ufc-win","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/crank-gets-first-ufc-win\/","title":{"rendered":"2. \u2018The Crank\u2019 gets first UFC win"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id='gallery-1' class='gallery galleryid-267263 gallery-columns-3 gallery-size-thumbnail'><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/crank-gets-first-ufc-win\/3tennispix\/'>3tennispix<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-267276'>\n\t\t\t\tThe CNMI Junior Tennis Team players and coach Jeff Race pose for a photo after winning the Nations Cup in the 2017 Pacific Oceania Junior Championships in Fiji. (Contributed Photo)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/crank-gets-first-ufc-win\/7offislandpix2\/'>7Offislandpix2<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-267282'>\n\t\t\t\tDonivan Mendiola holds the CNMI flag with the third place medal around his neck the morning after he competed in the 2017 NPC Shawn Ray\u2019s Hawaiian Classic held last Nov. 4 at the Honolulu Convention Center in Hawaii. (Contributed Photo)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/crank-gets-first-ufc-win\/9xterrapix2\/'>9XTERRApix2<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-267285'>\n\t\t\t\tSouth Korean Kwang Hoon Lee celebrates his first place finish in the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Saipan. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/crank-gets-first-ufc-win\/10track-ovalpix\/'>10Track-ovalpix<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-267286'>\n\t\t\t\tThe Oleai Sports Complex\u2019s track oval is seen here with a new rubberized surface. (Jon Perez)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/crank-gets-first-ufc-win\/2frankpix2\/'>2Frankpix2<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-267287'>\n\t\t\t\tFrank \u201cThe Crank\u201d Camacho, left, connects with a left to the face of Australian Damien Brown during their undercard bouts in UFC Fight Night 121  held last Nov. 18 at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia. UFC Sydney Photo)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/crank-gets-first-ufc-win\/4nmifapix2\/'>4nmifapix2<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-267288'>\n\t\t\t\tThe CNMI U16 Boys National Team\u2018s Ian Maniago reacts after scoring against Timor-Leste during the second half of their game in the AFC U16 Championship 2018 Qualifiers in September at the Rajamangala Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand. (Contributed Photo)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/crank-gets-first-ufc-win\/8regionalpix2\/'>8Regionalpix2<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-267289'>\n\t\t\t\tThe CNMI\u2019s John Davis, sixth right, joins other members of the South Pacific Bodybuilding Federation for a group photo after attending the SPBF Congress in Honiara, the Solomon Islands. (Contributed Photo)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/crank-gets-first-ufc-win\/6falconspix2\/'>6Falconspix2<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-267290'>\n\t\t\t\tThe Falcons\u2019 Spencer Dickinson eyes his target before throwing from the mound during their title game against the Enforcers in the Senior League division of the Saipan Little League Baseball this year at the Francisco \u201cTan Ko\u201d Palacios Ballfield. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure><figure class='gallery-item'>\n\t\t\t<div class='gallery-icon '>\n\t\t\t\t<a href='https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/crank-gets-first-ufc-win\/5swimpix2\/'>5Swimpix2<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<figcaption class='wp-caption-text gallery-caption' id='gallery-1-267291'>\n\t\t\t\tROSELYN B. MONROYO\nSaipan Swim Club\u2019s Kento Akimaru, left, and Jinnosuke Suzuki wait for the start of their race during a local event at the Kan Pacific Swimming Pool. (Roselyn B. Monroyo)\n\t\t\t\t<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n<p><strong>2. \u2018The Crank\u2019 gets first UFC win<\/strong><br \/>\nBy JON PEREZ<br \/>\njon_perez@saipantribune.com<br \/>\nREPORTER<\/p>\n<p>Frank \u201cThe Crank\u201d Camacho made Marianas known to the MMA world when he earned his first victory in the Ultimate Fighting Championship event in Australia last November.<br \/>\nCamacho fought Damien \u201cBeatdown\u201d Brown, beating the hometown bet via split decision in UFC 121 Werdum VS Tybura in front of a sellout crowd at the Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney, Australia.<br \/>\nThe 28-year-old Brazilian Jiu-jitsu brown belt needed to match his opponent\u2019s toughness and at the same time staved off several clear take down attempts to improve his fight record to 21 wins and five defeats.<br \/>\nCamacho, whose lifelong mixed martial arts career is to set foot inside the UFC octagon and win, earned the historic triumph after judge Evan Field scored it 30-27 in favor of the former CNMI junior golfer.<br \/>\nJudge Chris Aliendi also saw the fight in Camacho\u2019s favor, 29-28, while Kevin Manderson gave the bout to Brown, 29-28, who dropped to 17-11. The Aussie bet is a known ground fighter after earning his eight wins via submission with only three by KO and six by decision.<br \/>\nAfter his UFC victory, Camacho won\u2019t be fighting until  February next year as his manager is trying to arrange a meeting with former UFC lightweight title contender Diego \u201cThe Dream\u201d Sanchez.<\/p>\n<p><strong>3. CNMI Junior Tennis Team stands out<\/strong><br \/>\nBy ROSELYN B. MONROYO<br \/>\nroselyn_monroyo@saipantribune.com<br \/>\nREPORTER<\/p>\n<p>The CNMI Junior National Tennis Team kept the Nations Cup, besting 16 other countries that participated the 2017 Pacific Oceania Junior Championships held in Fiji.<br \/>\nThe title defense was a tough one for the Jeff Race-coached squad, as the group won by only one point against runner-up Tahiti and also had tough battles against New Caledonia and Vanuatu.<br \/>\nThe back-to-back champion team was composed of Robbie Schorr, Carol Lee, Ji Min Woo, Seung Jin Paik,  Conatsu and Coume Kaga, Maria and Anthony Gregoire, Hye Jin Elliot, Daniel Kang, Richard Steele, Song, Vincent Tudela, Sean Lee, Grace Choi, Michael Ren, and Malika Miyawaki.<br \/>\nThe CNMI bets played in the girls and boys U12, U14 and U16 singles and doubles events. Carol gave the Commonwealth the most points with her title conquest in the U16 singles and doubles (with Malika Miyawaki).<br \/>\nOther CNMI players who had podium finishes in the POJC were Schorr (third in U16 singles and doubles with Song), Woo (third in U14 singles), Sean (second in U14 doubles), Paik and Woo (third in U14 doubles), and Conatsu (third in U14 singles and second in doubles with sister Coume).<br \/>\nBefore playing in the POJC this year, Paik, Woo, and the Kaga sisters also saw action in various tournaments in Fiji and New Caledonia as part of their training under the Oceania Tennis Federation\/International Tennis Federation scholarship.<\/p>\n<p>4. Soccer facility construction starts; NMIFA continues dev\u2019t<br \/>\nBy ROSELYN B. MONROYO<br \/>\nroselyn_monroyo@saipantribune.com<br \/>\nREPORTER<\/p>\n<p>Northern Mariana Islands Football Association embarked on its biggest project so far in its bid to continue the development of soccer in the CNMI.<br \/>\nNMIFA started construction of the NMI Soccer Training Center in Koblerville in September and with the support of both the public and private sectors, the facility may be completed in the spring of 2018.<br \/>\nThough NMIFA committed some of its resources for building an artificial soccer pitch in the CNMI, it remains dedicated to the development of its players, coaches, and officials, sending them to off-island competitions and training camps.<br \/>\nThe CNMI Girls U15 National Team participated in the EAFF U15 Girls Tournament 2017 in Shanghai, China; CNMI Boys U15 National Team in the AFC U16 Championship 2018 Qualifiers in Bangkok, Thailand; and the CNMI Boys U18 National Team and CNMI Women\u2019s National Team to the Marianas Cup in Guam.<br \/>\nThe boys U18 players also had training camps in South Korea and Hong Kong, the boys U15 crew in Guam, and the women\u2019s squad in Japan. The Commonwealth\u2019s players challenged Japan and Chinese-Taipei teams, too in friendly matches here.<br \/>\nIn the club level, competitions got tougher as championships were spread out among MP United, TanHoldings, Kanoa, and Shirley\u2019s teams.<br \/>\nAs for the schools, NMIFA also continues to reach out to them by strengthening its Interscholastic School League and National Elite Academy.<br \/>\nNot to be left out was its women\u2019s program with NMIFA providing regular tournaments for both competitive and recreational players through league sponsor Dove.<\/p>\n<p><strong>5. SSC, Tsunami Saipan swimmers deliver<\/strong><br \/>\nBy ROSELYN B. MONROYO<br \/>\nroselyn_monroyo@saipantribune.com<br \/>\nREPORTER<\/p>\n<p>Saipan Swim Club\u2019s Jinnosuke Suzuki and Tsunami Swimming Center Saipan\u2019s Isaiah Aleksenko, Juhn Tenorio, and Ashley Dangol had a fruitful 2017 after dominating the CNMI record books.<br \/>\nAleksenko set nine age group marks in the 9 to 10 division this year to own 11 of the records in his group and then added one when he climbed by to the 11 to 12 category, His fellow Tsunami Saipan swimmer, Ashley, registered seven in the 9 to 11 age group and when the summer ended and the latter moved up to the 11 to 12 division, she gained five marks.<br \/>\nTenorio got four marks in the 11 to 12 age group and one in the 13 to 14.<br \/>\nJinnosuke matched Tenorio\u2019s five records, but the former posted all of them in the 11 to 12 division.<br \/>\nThree other swimmers earned records this year\u2014Maria and Nelson Batallones and Aasish Dangol.<br \/>\nMeanwhile, besides doing well in local races, SSC and Tsunami Saipan swimmers also had notable performances in off-island events.<br \/>\nSSC\u2019s Kento Akimaru earned the top honors in the  69th Annual Keo Nakama Invitational held in Hawaii and also ruled the North Shore Swim Series in Oahu.<br \/>\nJinnosuke joined the same competitions and finished first in the 11 to 12 age group in the swim meet and the ocean swim. Jinnosuke and his brother Lennosuke also saw action in the 2017 TAS Tigersharks Invitational Swim in Taiwan and the Suzuki siblings both placed runners-up in their respective division. Akimaru had a podium finish, too in the same meet, as he was ranked third in the over 15 age group.<br \/>\nAs for Tsunami Saipan swimmers, they joined the Tokyo Junior Sprint 2017 and Aleksenko and the Dangol siblings brought home gold medals.<\/p>\n<p><strong>6. Falcons soar in Juniors, Seniors<\/strong><br \/>\nBy ROSELYN B. MONROYO<br \/>\nroselyn_monroyo@saipantribune.com<br \/>\nREPORTER<\/p>\n<p>The Talaabwogh Falcons reigned supreme in the Juniors and Seniors division of the 2017 Saipan Little League Baseball.<br \/>\nThe Falcons took their third straight championship in the Junior League after downing the Comets, 8-2, in their title showdown. The Falcons\u2019 two other crowns came from their 3-2 victory over the IT&amp;E Fielders in 2015 and a 10-7 triumph against the Enforcers last year.<br \/>\nIn the Senior League, the Falcons made it back-to-back following a 4-3 win over the Enforcers in this year\u2019s title duel.<br \/>\nThe Falcons also advanced to the finals of the Majors, but were denied the sweep this season after the NSA Braves prevailed in their championship game, 7-6.<\/p>\n<p><strong>7. CNMI athletes excel in off-island tourneys<\/strong><br \/>\nBy JON PEREZ<br \/>\njon_perez@saipantribune.com<br \/>\nREPORTER<\/p>\n<p>CNMI athletes also made waves in several off-island competitions with Donivan Mendiola, Angel San Nicolas, Zarinae Sapong, Marianas Outrigger Club, Napu Outrigger Canoe Club, and Marianas Pacific Paddlers performing well in their respective events.<br \/>\nMendiola highlighted his banner year with a gold medal win in the middleweight division and a third place in the overall title in last month\u2019s Michelob Ultra Bodybuilding and Fitness Championships, and International Invitational in Tamuning, Guam. He also finished third in the Ikaika Classic and NPC Sean Ray\u2019s Hawaiian Classic and then topped the Dee Clayton Classic.<br \/>\nSan Nicolas, meanwhile, prevented a medal-less stint for Team CNMI in the 10th Pacific Mini Games when he clinched the bronze in the weightlifting competition in Port Vila, Vanuatu early this month.<br \/>\nSapong, on the other hand set a new personal best time in the 100m sprint after clocking in at 13.29 seconds in the 16th International Association of Athletics Federations World Championships in London, United Kingdom.<br \/>\nIn paddling, MOC\u2019s men\u2019s team topped the 500m and long distance events in the  19th Micronesia Cup held in Guam in October, while Napu\u2019s youth squad brought home four gold medals, four silvers, and a bronze from the same competition. MPP\u2019s women\u2019s team also came out victorious in the Micro Cup after ruling the 1,000m race.<\/p>\n<p><strong>8. CNMI gets hosting rights of regional events<\/strong><br \/>\nBy ROSELYN B. MONROYO<br \/>\nroselyn_monroyo@saipantribune.com<br \/>\nREPORTER<\/p>\n<p>The CNMI got the hosting rights for three regional tournaments.<br \/>\nFirst up for the Commonwealth is the 2018 Micronesian Athletics Championships, which will be held on June 14 to 16. The CNMI won the hosting rights for the event during this year\u2019s Oceania Athletics Association Congress in Fiji.<br \/>\nUp next is the 2018 Micro Cup with the CNMI picking up the hosting rights from Guam. Palau hosted the paddling competition in 2017. The CNMI\u2019s turn to hold the Micro Cup was announced during the event in Guam in October.<br \/>\nAlso in October, the South Pacific Bodybuilding Federation handed the hosting rights of the 2021 South Pacific Bodybuilding Championships to the Commonwealth. The CNMI was named the host of the event during the region\u2019s  meeting held in the Solomon Islands.<br \/>\nThen early this month in Vanuatu, the CNMI received the Pacific Games Council flag, signifying the turn of the Commonwealth to host the 2021 Pacific Mini Games.<\/p>\n<p><strong>9. Goodbye XTERRA, hello KONQER, Ironman<\/strong><br \/>\nBy ROSELYN B. MONROYO<br \/>\nroselyn_monroyo@saipantribune.com<br \/>\nREPORTER<\/p>\n<p>This year saw the end of one of the longest-running signature events on island and the beginning of two promising ones.<br \/>\nMarianas Visitors Authority last month announced that it dropped XTERRA Saipan Championship from its 2018 sports calendar, while retaining KONQER and Ironman 70.3 Saipan. The two new events are expected to draw more off-island competitors to further build the CNMI\u2019s reputation as a sports haven for athletes.<br \/>\nKONQER Saipan debuted here last September, attracting nearly 500 participants, while Ironman 70.3 Saipan hit the road last March and lured about 200 athletes.<br \/>\nThe final staging of XTERRA Saipan last March featured a little over 100 triathletes.<br \/>\nTagaman, Saipan Marathon, and Hell of Marianas were also held this year, getting a good number of followers, and will return in 2018.<\/p>\n<p><strong>10. Track oval undergoes resurfacing work<\/strong><br \/>\nBy ROSELYN B. MONROYO<br \/>\nroselyn_monroyo@saipantribune.com<br \/>\nREPORTER<\/p>\n<p>After nearly four years, resurfacing work at the Oleai Sports Complex oval was finally completed.<br \/>\nThe project started late December last year and finished in June. However, the facility is still closed to the public pending the issuance of the International Association of Athletics Federations certification and completion of improvement work in the surrounding areas, including the field.<br \/>\nThe track is only one of the many facilities that received federal and local funding for renovation\/repairs after being damaged by Typhoon Soudelor in 2015. Initial financial assistance were also made available this year for the Gilbert C. Ada Gymnasium, Francisco \u201cTan Ko\u201d Palacios Ballfield, Miguel \u201cTan Ge\u201d Basa Pangelinan Ballfield, and the complex\u2019s grand stand, which will be improved in 2018.<br \/>\nRepair work at the sports complex is needed as the CNMI will be hosting the Pacific Mini Games in 2021.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>2. \u2018The Crank\u2019 gets first UFC win By JON PEREZ jon_perez@saipantribune.com REPORTER Frank \u201cThe Crank\u201d&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":267276,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5],"tags":[26,51,15858,1556],"class_list":["post-267263","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sports","tag-cnmi","tag-guam","tag-monroyo","tag-reporter"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267263","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=267263"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/267263\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/267276"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=267263"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=267263"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.saipantribune.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=267263"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}