Why did you start BJJ?
I started BJJ to learn self defense, build my confidence and gain strength. Also I needed to be disciplined.
Youth Grey Belt Competitor
Ahzyiah Cruz
"Zy"
Grey Belt
Toto, GuamTraining for 3 years
Ahzyiah "Zy" Cruz is a youth grey belt from Toto, Guam. He started BJJ to learn self-defense, build confidence, gain strength, and develop discipline both on and off the mats.
Over the last three years Zy has grown into a confident competitor, earning medals at Copa de Marianas, Patgon, and Marianas Open tournaments while representing GUMA with pride and respect.
- Copa de Marianas 2025 — Gold
- Fall Patgon 2024 — Gold
- Summer Patgon 2025 — Silver, Bronze
- Marianas Open 2024 — Bronze
- Marianas Open 2025 — Bronze
Athlete interview
In Zy’s words
What do you enjoy most about competing?
What I enjoy most about competing is making new friends, seeing my improvement, representing my team, and showing respect to everyone I compete against.
What motivates you to keep training?
My motivation comes from my coaches, teammates, and my family.
Who has influenced your BJJ journey the most?
The people who have influenced my BJJ journey would be my parents, my uncle and auntie (Nick & Krysta), and their encouragement and support. This is what inspired me to begin training and continue growing in the sport.
What does representing our competition team mean to you?
Representing my competition team is about showing pride in the people I train with and putting everything I’ve learned into action when I compete.
What does representing Guam mean to you?
Representing Guam means carrying my island with pride every time I step on or off the mat.
What are your competition goals for the next 12 months?
My goals are to learn and grow from each practice and competition to become a better BJJ athlete.
What is your ultimate goal in BJJ?
My ultimate goal in BJJ is to receive my black belt, make my family and everyone proud, most importantly my mom.
Training & competition
