SAIPAN — Ernest “Batman” Licop knows he is the underdog walking into Hibiscus Hall at Crowne Plaza Resort Saipan tonight. He is embracing it.
Licop, who represents Latte Built fight team, is eight months into his jiu-jitsu journey and will face blue belt Baelon Song of Trench Tech in a submission-only match at Ballroom Blitz: The Grappler’s Gala, a premier black-tie grappling event presented by Trench Tech and Trench Warz Promotions.
“As a white belt, the one thing that’s playing on my mind is the underdog story,” Licop said. “I kind of relate to Dustin Poirier from the UFC. He’s always been an underdog story, always winning even when the odds say he shouldn’t. That’s who I feel like right now.”
Licop came to combat sports through boxing and kickboxing, disciplines he has trained for about two years. He entered jiu-jitsu after competing in Master of Fire 1 in 2024. He trains under head coach Kira Adya at Latte Built.
“He’s always been there, even when he shouldn’t be,” Licop said of his coach. “He should be spending time with his family and he’s still out here training us.”
Licop is one of five Latte Built fighters competing tonight. The team’s card also includes Bonnie “The Hitman” Sagana, Mathew Salas, Teipo “Brazzy” Asep and coach Kier “The Radical Kid” Agda, who will face legendary Guam MMA champion and jiu-jitsu black belt Roque Martinez of RM Sports in a heavyweight superfight. Ballroom Blitz features approximately 15 matchups across multiple belt divisions, headlined by a triple main event pitting black belts from Team AEGIS Jiu Jitsu Korea against competitors from the Marianas and the United States. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., dinner service begins at 6:30 p.m. and first matches begin at 7:30 p.m. A limited number of general admission tickets remain at $75, with door tickets available at $80
