Shane Suzuki Challenges Jason Quek

Shane Suzuki: “I am officially issuing a Challenge to Singapore BJJ's Instructor Jason Quek.”

(an article by the Coffee Boy)

         Shane Kohei Suzuki, the BJJ coach at FIGHT G Academy in Singapore has issued a challenge (through his Facebook page) to Jason Quek, the instructor at Singapore BJJ:

“I am officially issuing a Challenge to Singapore BJJ's Instructor Jason Quek. I am willing to give $500 to him if he can defeat me in a standard IBJJF ruleset match. Saturday December 1st, I'll even do it at his gym. Gi, 8 minutes, points or submission, and we'll get a Black Belt from a neutral gym to referee. Please spread the word guys, as I am not friends with anyone from his gym.”

I got a chance to catch up with Shane to find out more about him and the background behind the challenge he has issued, which has caused a bit of a stir in the Singaporean BJJ community.

          “I started training around six years ago under Ben Hall of Carlson Gracie Jiu Jitsu in Australia, he's the one who initially graded me,” he tells me, “Since Blue Belt, when I left Australia, I've been training primarily with Atos-VPF in Philippines under Ralph Go & Ali Sulit. Until now, I still train with them regularly every other month.”

         On why he moved to Singapore from Australia, he said “…I have family here. My father had lived in Singapore for 20 years already and my sister was born here, so I initially came here for them but then found an opportunity to teach BJJ.”

         Suzuki is currently a brown belt in the art, being promoted after having won the World Pro Cup back in May. He has a bunch of students under him at Fight G Academy, mostly new to the art while his top students are blue belts, and believes they will make a name for themselves in the BJJ Competition Circuit.

         After Suzuki issued the challenge, many BJJ practitioners and fans alike have been buzzing about the potential match, and a lot of rumors have been spreading as to why he issued the challenge. Suzuki explained that he originally wanted to keep his intentions private, but after so many people were unsure, he decided it was best to explain himself clearly:

         “I've actually had this in mind for a long time already, I'm friends with guys from almost every gym in Singapore and a lot of these guys told me things that Jason apparently has been saying about me and my students for ages. I'm tired of hearing these stories, so I figure to let him back up his words and prove himself against me in front of everyone, in a situation where no one can lie or hide.

         “Also, Jason tried to poach some of my students last year and early this year, which I take very serious offense to. I believe that an instructor should focus on producing his own students rather than stealing other instructors students, however that's a topic for another day.”

         When asked what it was that Jason Quek had been saying about him, Suzuki replied: “That is something I cannot publicly share, as everything that was said to me was said in confidentiality. All I can tell you is that I had more than one person from almost every gym in Singapore tell me something that was said.”

         In a nutshell, the reasons behind the challenge he issued basically boils down to Quek attempting to poach his students, and “stuff” that he has been saying to other people about him. As of now, Jason Quek has yet to formally accept the challenge, however, “…Only through his student have I been updated. As of now, his student said that if I give him some time to prepare he will most likely accept the match. So, as of now, it looks like he will accept, but the fight will not be until January.”

         For those unclear of the challenge, here is his full explanation, and then some:

“I've challenged him to a standard IBJJF Brown Belt rules match. Gi, 8 minutes, points or submission and Professor Leke from Impact has agreed to be the referee.

“The terms of the challenge is that if he can beat me under these rules, I will give him money from my own pocket.

“Venue does not matter to me one bit. I would of course prefer it to be at my own gym, Fight G, however I didn't want to give him anything as an excuse so I already offered to do it at his own gym.”

Right now, people are still waiting for a “formal” acceptance of the challenge, and in the meantime Shane Suzuki is just waiting and training.

“I hope he accepts the challenge match. I've said it before; he has nothing to lose and only everything to gain in this match. At the end of the day, even if he loses he'll still get a lot of respect from me and everyone in the Singapore BJJ community for just stepping up. The only way he loses out is if he declines my challenge.”