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Meggie Ochoa: From MMA fighter to BJJ world champion

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Dennis Gasgonia, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="ABS-CBN News" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2018/tvpatrol/08/21/20180824-jujitsu.jpg"/><figcaption>Jiujitsu champion Meggie Ochoa. George Calvelo, ABS-CBN News</figcaption></figure></div>Before collecting accolades in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Margarita &quot;Meggie&quot; Ochoa used to be a mixed martial arts fighter.Ochoa, who won a gold medal in the 19th Asian Games, said she tried out the MMA sport after graduating from college.&quot;Nagstart ako sa football noong high school ako, then track and field noong college,&quot; the bemedalled Pinay told ABS-CBN News. &quot;Then MMA after college.&quot;Ochoa would have wanted to stay in MMA, but the petite Pinay had a hard time looking for opponents who would match her weight and size.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/multimedia/photo/10/05/23/pinay-jiu-jitsuka-meggie-ochoa-clinches-phs-second-gold">Pinay jiu-jitsuka Meggie Ochoa clinches PH’s second gold</a></li></ul>&quot;I stand at 5 feet. Nung nag MMA ako magaang pa ako, I wasn&#x27;t even 90 pounds,&quot; she confessed. &quot;Nagtransition ako kasi wala akong weight class sa MMA, mahirap makahanap ng kalaban na kasing liit ko.&quot;But MMA&#x27;s loss was Jiu-jitsu&#x27;s gain. As a jiu-jitsu fighter, Ochoa is a three-time world titlist, a two-time Southeast Asian Games champion and an Asiad gold medalist, making her the most decorated among all Filipino BJJ fighters.Ochoa is proof that basketball-crazy Filipinos can become competitive in Brazilian Jiu-jitsu.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/05/23/meggie-ochoa-nabs-phs-2nd-asiad-gold">Meggie Ochoa clinches PH&#x27;s 2nd Asiad gold</a></li></ul>&quot;Number 1, may weight classes siya so fair ang laban,&quot; she explained. &quot;&#x27;Di tulad ng volleyball, basketball where size matter. Eh naturally hindi tayo ganoong kalaki.&quot;&quot;Number 2, kahit ikaw ang pinakamaliit sa weight class mo, pwede ka pa ring maging best. Kasi ang focus ay nasa technique at pautakan talaga siya. It&#x27;s like physical chess... I think malaki ang potential natin na mag-excel sa sport na ito.&quot;Although she already won twice in the worlds, her ascent to the gold medal win in the Asiad in Hangzhou was one of the most challenging.Ochoa had to battle a slew of complications just to be able to make her way to the mat.&quot;Sobrang dami talagang dinaanan. It&#x27;s not just the struggles during the competition itself,&quot; she said.Ochoa said that before preparing for the Asian Games, she was sidelined from training after sustaining an injury in the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia.In Hangzhou, she caught the flu. She needed to medicate just to prop herself up for competition.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/12/10/19/jiu-jitsu-champ-meggie-ochoa-sa-mga-kritiko-huwag-maliitin-ang-sea-games">Jiu-jitsu champ Meggie Ochoa sa mga kritiko: Huwag maliitin ang SEA Games</a></li></ul>&quot;The day of the competition, sobrang sakit ng ulo ko,. I had to drink medicine to be physically able to fight,&quot; she said. &quot;Binigyan ako ng mga gamot, lumaban thankfully nanalo for the first two matches. Sa semifinals na-injure pa ako.&quot;This is why she burst into tears after squeezing out a narrow win the women’s Under-48kg jiu-jitsu finals for the gold.&quot;The entire time nagdadasal ako kasi sobrang walang wala na ko physically. The entire time trusting and depending on the Lord na talaga ako. &#x27;Yun ang nagdala sa akin all throughout. Siya talaga ang nagdala sa akin.&quot;

Before collecting accolades in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Margarita 'Meggie' Ochoa used to be a mixed martial arts fighter.

Meggie Ochoa: From MMA fighter to BJJ world champion

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Meggie Ochoa: From MMA fighter to BJJ world champion

Dennis Gasgonia,

ABS-CBN News

Published Oct 21, 2023 11:06 PM PHT

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Meggie Ochoa

MMA

Asian Games

Brazilian Jiu-jitsu

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