Our History
In 1993 the UFC had launched it’s first mixed martial arts event in Las Vegas, as a contest between athletes from different martial art styles. The world was shocked when a lighter and “apparently” weaker Royce Gracie defeated all his opponents by fighting mainly on the ground using choke holds or joint-locks to make his opponents give up the fight. A VHS copy of the fights had reached the shores of Manila and Professor Alvin Aguilar chanced upon this tape at the old Squadron shop (one of the few martial arts gear stores at the time). Professor Alvin was 19 at the time of this discovery and being a young martial artist, he was in constant pursuit of learning and training various arts; he was already an instructor in various FMAs but still in constant search of the most efficient and effective one – convinced with the performance of Royce Gracie, he sought the help of his father to make plans to travel to the U.S.A. and learn from the man himself.
It was in 1994 when the Philippines saw the dawn of Jiu-jitsu in the country. Professor Alvin Aguilar had just returned from California after spending his summer training Brazilian Jiu-jitsu at the Gracie Academy in Torrance where he met and trained with Helio Gracie the founder of Brazilian Jiu-jitsu, his sons, Rorion Gracie and the UFC champion Royce Gracie. The trip further solidified and convinced him of how great and powerful Brazilian Jiu-jitsu truly is.
Professor Alvin spent a year learning and training on his own, he started out with teaching and sparring with his drivers at first and eventually convincing his friends and frat mates to start learning with him. It was in 1995, after a year of thriving on his own that he returned to the Gracie Academy to further his studies. During his visit, he was awarded his blue belt rank in 2 days by Royce Gracie and eventually offered to become the first Gracie Training Association representative in Asia. Upon his return to Manila and more and more Filipinos began to learn and train Brazilian Jiu-jitsu
From 1994 throughout the 90’s Jiu-jitsu thrived underground through MMA. Suddenly, martial artists from all different backgrounds realized if they did not know Jiu-Jitsu, all they knew about fighting was worthless against a Jiu-Jitsu fighter. That realization triggered what many call the Jiu-Jitsu revolution in martial arts. A big shift of focus and training towards ground fighting followed. Professor Alvin Aguilar made sure that his students were combat ready for the streets. Underground MMA fights and frat wars were prevalent, and grappling techniques were further cemented as effective as they tested them out on the street and survived.
It was in 1999 when Team DEFTAC emerged and produced the first batch of home-grown Filipino International Jiu-jitsu Champions. Alvin Aguilar, Joey Lepiten, Richard Lasprilla and Raffy Garcia won gold and silver medals at the 1999 Gracie Nationals in Chicago.
In 2002, Professor Alvin took Deftac’s growing legacy to the world stage for the first time with the Philippines and Deftac’s first ever contingent at the Mundials (The Jiu-jitsu World Championship) held in Tijuca, Brazil. 2002 was also the year that Professor Alvin established the country’s first and largest fight promotion, the URCC MMA which marked the beginning of MMA in the Philippines.
For years Deftac produced countless MMA champions that fought in the URCC MMA ring further cementing the team’s legacy not just in Jiu-jitsu but in Mixed Martial Arts as well. Team Deftac prevailed over all and in 2004 the popularity of Jiu-jitsu in the Philippines rose.
The Grapplers League was among the first official tournaments in the country. Legendary matches went down as Marcus Valda defeated Ali Sulit and Raffy Garcia defeated John Baylon. DEFTAC’s massive SUCCESS in Jiu-jitsu and MMA was undeniable…It earned love and admiration of supporters the ire of detractors… soon crab mentality reared it’s ugly head and towards the end of 2004 Professor Alvin was shot 3x in a drive by shooting.
The shooting didn’t stop DEFTAC’s success. In 2005 the URCC made a comeback event featuring Alvin Aguilar’s return, shocking viewers who thought he had no chance of surviving. Deftac fighters continued to shine in the ring and on the mat while Professor Alvin continued to train till finally in 2006 he was awarded his black belt by Professor Kazeka Muniz and so Deftac and the Philippines gained it’s FIRST home-grown Filipino black belt.
Tired of teaching Jiu-jitsu exclusively inside boxing gyms that were limited by schedules set by admin, Professor Alvin decided it was time to build his own gym. By 2008, BAMF Mixed Martial Arts Center was built and it was the first of it’s kind being the first and Largest Mixed Martial Arts School in the Philippines that offered combat sports including MMA, Jiu-jitsu, Wrestling, Boxing and Muay Thai.
Just one year later in 2009, much to the success of Deftac’s gym, BAMF Mixed Martial Arts Center, the Philippines produced it’s FIRST home grown Filipino World Champion – Maybelline Masuda
The World Championship Sparked a NEW HOPE for all BJJ Practicioners in the country. Deftac refocused on upgrading and training for competition. Deftac also began it’s EXPANSION across the nation.
For the years that followed, DEFTAC reigned Overall Champion in all major tournaments and remained undefeated from 2010 up to present day.
DEFTAC remains to be Asia’s largest Jiu-jitsu team with the most homegrown black belts in Southeast Asia
52 GYMS in the Philippines with 221 Satellite training Centers!!!!