ANCIONG BACON

Venancio Anciong Bacon rose to greatness in the midst of chaos. Born on October 15, 1912, and hailing from Carcar Cebu, Bacon developed an unprecedented style of Arnis – Balintawak – that has left a lasting mark as one of history’s most renowned fencing masters.

Anciong Bacon, standing at just 5′ 2″ and 120 pounds, was a martial artist without peers who had to rely on speed and precision rather than strength or size in combat. His Corto Linear style learned from Lorenzo Saavedra allowed him to close the distance with adversaries as well as off-balance them – making it almost impossible for opponents to attack him successfully during matches. He was constantly refining his art by stripping away any techniques that didn’t prove useful in battle yet he never stopped striving for improvement; traits which saw Bacon become renowned amongst those familiar with combative arts.

Anciong Bacon was a martial arts master and expert in various Martial arts Styles. His insight led him to create an effective art form, his knowledge of Filipino Dumog, JuiJitsu, Combat Judo, Boxing, and Arnis. He believed that this art form could protect and maximize Arnis’ combat capabilities while simultaneously incorporating other styles for maximum effectiveness.

In an effort to save and advance the Filipino art of Arnis, Anciong Bacon created Balintawak Martial Art in 1950. This unique style was named after a street in Cebu City, where he spent most of his training time, and focused on preserving and strengthening its combative origins for future generations.

He pushed the boundaries of Balintawak by transforming his free hand into a formidable weapon. In addition to using it for slashing and stabbing like with typical dagas, he also developed techniques that allowed him to use grabs, punches, pushes – even pulls! His mastery was further demonstrated in offensive exercises such as boxing/kicking tactics and sectoring maneuvers used for leg immobilization purposes or throwing opponents off-guard. Ultimately this enabled a perfect balance between the usage of weapons & bare hands during combat scenarios.

He created techniques utilizing his free hand and developed it into a more adaptable weapon. Not only can it slash or stab like a daga; it can also execute grabs, punches, pushes, pulls, etc.

This provided the free hand a major function in balancing the use of the weapon hand and the bare hands. With his free hand, he also perfected and developed the offensive and defensive maneuvers of his limbs. These offensive exercises include boxing and kicking, sweeps, takedowns, and sectoring techniques or leg immobilization and, leg-asserted throws.

Anciong Bacon greatness was far from ordinary. His mastery of the art – achieved by simplifying and refining its movements – made him unbeatable in combat, earning his renown as “The Legend”. He earned that title not just for participation but through dozens of victorious death matches proving his mettle every step of the way.

Anciong Bacon found himself in deep trouble after an assailant tried to sneak up on Anciong in the dark, they soon found out why he was so renowned for his Arnis skills. Bacon defend himself and unfortunately, their encounter resulted in far-reaching and life-changing consequences Bacon was imprisoned for self-defense and murdering an assailant with a knife.

He spent several years behind bars, and due to good behavior, he later was released on parole in the mid-1970s. Through this experience, he learned never again will deadly force be necessary if defensive techniques are mastered appropriately

When Anciong returned to his home in Cebu, he struggled to make a living. In search for income, Anciong founded the Balintawak Self-Defense Club on Balintawak Street in Cebu City which has since been recognized as its own form of martial arts Balintawak Eskrima. Embodying everything Anciong was striving towards by its very name, this style has become one that is widely recognized and respected within the martial arts community across Cebu City and beyond.

Anciong Bacon was renowned for his efficient and direct movements in Balintawak. Although never extravagant, he had a grace that set him apart from the rest. And even after leaving to pursue other endeavors, he continued to monitor students’ performance – ensuring that quality stayed at its highest level. He attended Arnis training courses run by Jose Villasin and Teofilo Velez until his passing just a few short years later – an event mourned among all those familiar with this great martial art master’s work.