Mandeng, extreme right being awarded blue belt byBJJ World Champion Xande Ribeiro
Mandeng in action, Singapore '08This is the profile of a friend and training partner of mine, who will be sharing the coaching duties with me.
Tirmizi Y. or 'Mandeng', as he is affectionately known to his friends, started his BJJ training in Fall 2003 when he was a student at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. During his time as a student in the States, Mandeng was an active BJJ competitor. Amongst the tournaments that he won or placed were Arnold Gracie, Gracie US Nationals and Canadian-American championship.
Representing the University of Michigan's BJJ club and weighing 120 pounds, he would naturally face bigger guys either in under 145 pounds, or the open weight category. He became a reliable competitor and earned the respect of his teammate, and in summer 2004, he was appointed as the competition team captain of the club.
After close to 2 years competing as a white belt, Mandeng received his blue belt from Xande Ribeiro (multiple time Mundials Champion and brother of BJJ legend Saulo Ribeiro) in June 2005. He returned to Malaysia shortly afterward and laying low from BJJ for over a year, until he met Janson and gradually eased back into training in late 2006.
Outside BJJ, Mandeng is currently an executive at a Big 4 Firm while pursuing his MBA.
Primary Instructor : Sean 'Abdula' Bansfield (Saulo's Black Belt),
COMPETITION RECORD:
GI
- Alive Singapore "Lordz of the Pain" BJJ tournament March 2008 - bronze medal, blue belt, under 66kg
- Saulo Ribeiro Spring Invitational, May '05, white belt, Under 150lbs- 2nd place
- Gracie Nationals, October '04, Absolute Division- Semi Finalist; white belt, under 130lbs-1st place
- Canadian-American Championship, June '04, white belt, Under 150lbs -2nd place
- Arnold Gracie, Apr '04, white belt, Under 127lbs, 1st place
- Wolverine Classic, Apr '04, white belt, Under 140lbs - 2nd place
NO-GI (INTERMEDIATE)
- Wolverine Classic, Apr '04, under 140lbs, 1st place
