HISTORY OF YAW-YAN
The originator of Yaw-Yan is Napoleon Fernandez or "Master Nap", a native of Quezon province, who originally studied Jujutsu. The word Yaw-Yan was derived from the last two syllables of Sayaw ng Kamatayan meaning "Dance of Death". Fernandez had a background in various martial arts such as Jeet Kune Do, Karate, Eskrima, Aikido, and Judo. He is said to have modified all the marti
al art forms that he studied and fused them to create a martial art form that is deadly to opponents and "advantageous to the build of Filipinos". It includes elements of striking, takedowns, grappling, stick and knife fighting, and additional kickboxing material. It reflected the growing popularity of Kickboxing during the 1970s to 1980s, and from the 1990s to the Mixed martial arts in the Philippines as well as worldwide
HISTORY OF SOMA
Founder, Master Allan P. Epile also known as “the dancing man” was born on August 16, 1970 in Mati Davao Orriental, son of Nomiriano Epile and Winida Pilapil. In 1983 he joined and became a member of Tabuelan National High-school dance troupe. Break dancing, jazz and funky was the style he performs. When Dodie Penalosa became the world champion in boxing in 1986, Master Allan Epile was inspired and started training in amateur boxing under Ceniza Stable. With the record of 36 wins, 2 losses, 16 knockouts he decided to quit boxing and find more fearless fights. Two years after, while studying on how to improve his skills, the founder started training kickboxing and thru Julito Pepito joined Yaw-yan in February 1989 under the tutelage of Erick Lapingcao who was the chief instructor under Julio Villaflores. Master Allan graduated April 1990 at Yaw-yan Temple, Cebu. When Erick Lapingcao formed his own club named UNSOFI (Unique Style of Fighting Club) the founder decided to join in order to continue training under him. The club was situated in Brgy. Looc at that time. In 1991 Master Allan Epile became Cebu’s Bantam weight champion and started to instruct kickboxing on the said club in the same year. Some time later Mr. Lapingcao was assigned in Bacolod by the company he was working for, forcing him to disband the club. Left without a club, the founder decided to organize UNSOFI again. The gym was now located in Paknaan. However due some unfortunate circumstances the club was again disbanded. During his time as instructor in UNSOFI, Master Allan started to modernize his technique and combine it with his experience in dancing, boxing, kickboxing, Yaw-yan system of fighting and modified the technique he observed from other martial arts club during his fights. This results to the creation of a new way of fighting. Upon the disbandment of his old club and the endless requests of his workmates to teach them martial arts even in secret, the founder decided to build his own gym and named it SOMA or Scientific Order of Martial Arts. He situated the club Headquarters in sitio Kagape, Barangay Paknaan, Mandaue City, Philippines. As SOMA gained popularity, questions about why he separated and other legalities from colleagues of his previous club plagued the founder prompting him to change the name to MWAYFI (Modern Way of Fighting) in order to hide the fact that he is still teaching. After a while realizing that there is no need to hide as his colleagues already recognized him as an instructor, Master Allan reverted the name of the club back to SOMA. In 1995 Master Allan Epile won the biggest fight of his career when he defeated Anicito Gesta of C-MAC Club who he fight even with weight difference where Gesta is bigger by 9 kilos. It was when he proved to the people that SOMA is the modern way of fighting. It has the techniques for offense and defense. After many years, Master Allan Epile ended his career in the ring and concentrate in training potential fighters and members who want to learn SOMA. His total record in kickboxing was 46 wins and 1 loss with 24 knockouts.
2011, Master Allan Epile produced champion fighters and trained students from all walks of life using the tried and tested way of fighting he made. Same year April, the name SOMA-Modern Way of Fighting Club was licensed under Department of Trade and Industries (DTI). In 2012, an unexpected turn of events took place. As Master Allan was forced to enter the ring as a fighter one more time. This was due to the constant dares to fight by Ben Torbiso the founder of a Durex Dragon Kickboxing Club from Lapu-lapu. Ben stated that he wanted to finish their fight that was cancelled in Loay, Bohol 18 years ago due to a heavy storm. At first the founder turn down the challenge stating that they are not young anymore and that his family would not allow him to fight again. But the challenges did not stop, it happened around 3 more times during every tournament pairing. It was during the Ground & Pound VI: Invincible pairing that Torbiso again challenged Master Allan this time in front of his family and students along with other clubs that stirred the fighting spirit of the founder. With the tournament organizers blessing, Master Allan and Ben was slated as a special founder vs founder bout in Ground & Pound. Two weeks before the fight the founder injured his floating ribs during training, with the fight near Master Allan changed his fight plan accordingly so not to cause further injury to his ribs. As the anticipated match started Master Allan fought without letting the opponent realize that he was injured. The founder brought the fight to his opponent using pinpoint punches to the head that shook Torbiso giving Master Allan a T.K.O victory due to referee stoppage in the second round as Ben was very groggy already. This was Master Allan’s last fight. with his updated record of 47 wins, 1 loss and 25 K.Os. Some time ago during one of GM Nap’s visit in Cebu, he saw some SOMA fighters in action. GM recognized the movements as Yaw-yan and visited the SOMA gym. GM Nap said that he wants Master Allan to visit him in Manila sometime. Since SOMA was a small gym and it is expensive to go to Manila, Master Allan was not able to visit GM. It was thanks to two OFW brothers that were members of SOMA who frequented Manila that we were able to contact GM Nap. When they introduced themeselves as SOMA members as they visited Yaw-yan Pasay of Prof. Saladin Dacuyan the place in which GM Nap was staying that GM requested them to bring Master Allan to him. This time when the members of SOMA learned of GM Nap’s request everyone chipped in to help the founder fly to Manila. Master Allan together with Yong Canadora a senior instructor was able to go visit GM Nap. there they underwent a seminar to get an affiliation to Yaw-yan. After finishing the seminar and earning all the certifications needed. In Sept. 12, 2014 SOMA finally got the affiliation papers from GM Nap in Manila with Master Allan Epile appointed as Yaw-yan Fervilleon Director of Mandaue. As SOMA Modern Way of Fighting is officially Yaw-Yan, it changed its name to YAW-YAN Fervilleon SOMA
