A Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion with multiple titles has shared her experiences of transitioning from working as a bouncer in Cardiff’s streets to competing for a championship in Las Vegas.
Ffion Davies, hailing from Swansea, was a Welsh and British junior judo champion prior to transitioning into the realm of mixed martial arts (MMA).
She mentioned that the sport of BJJ has “advanced significantly” in recent years, benefiting from the widespread appeal of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and mixed martial arts, along with celebrities suchTom Hardy competing.
However, the 31-year-old mentioned that there is still “a significant amount of misogyny” in BJJ, which an expert noted could “discourage women from participating in the sport.”
Davies mentioned that she had a fascination with combat sports since childhood and “loved”Rocky and boxing”.
“But I wasn’t permitted to attend the boxing gym as a girl,” she added.
She chose to focus on another area—judo—and later became a junior Welsh and British Open champion, as well as a member of the Welsh national judo squad.
Her initial exposure to MMA training took place in 2013 when she enrolled at a gym.
It was via this that she encountered jiu-jitsu, noticing parallels with judo but with fewer limitations.
At that moment, Davies was uncertain if her enthusiasm could turn into a profession, and she supported herself by working as a security guard in Cardiff.
“I was also employed at pubs and similar venues. However, my primary location was Ten Mill Lane,” she stated.
“I’ve never been back.”
Davies mentioned that reaching the UFC had been a “lengthy journey,” even though he secured several championships over the past decade, including world titles in 2022 and 2023.
“They hadn’t introduced UFC BJJ until last year, so I was participating in competitions and events,” she said.
It doesn’t seem like it happened fast. I’ve only truly been able to build a career out of it in the past four years.
Davies mentioned that she had gone through “many losses along the journey” but was “very happy” with her present circumstances.
“I have the opportunity to genuinely appreciate being part of a professional group,” she added.
Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is considered one of the UK’s most rapidly expanding sports, with membership increasing from 10,000 practitioners in 2016 to more than 40,000 by 2025, as reported by the UK Brazilian Jiu Jitsu Association (UKBJJA).
Davies acknowledged that she had observed the change in comparison to just a few years prior.
“It has certainly evolved significantly from when I won the world championships,” she remarked.
Davies still believes that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu needs to make more progress in tackling the “discrimination” that is present.
“Some competitions offer prize money based on division. Others have maintained a [gender] gap and have not allowed the numbers to increase,” she said.
Some events completely lack any female participants.
Davies mentioned that because Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu lacks a globally acknowledged governing organization, there is no entity to “maintain the standard” of the sport.
“It’s somewhat similar to the Wild West, where individuals have a lot of freedom,” she mentioned.
There remains a significant gap, which is disappointing, but progress is being made. It’s just not as fast as I believe it should be.
Davies mentioned that she continues to observe “a significant amount of sexism” within the MMA community, although many individuals remain indifferent “as they aren’t impacted by it.”
“Typically, it’s the woman who speaks out,” she said.
We’ll continue discussing it and hopefully improvements will occur.
Davies currently resides and trains in London but mentioned that she “always” longs for Wales. She explained that moving was essential for her to “develop and gain knowledge” after a time spent in New York.
“I also believe my accent has returned significantly since I moved to England. That’s quite amusing. It’s as if it’s rebelling,” she said.
Davies failed to secure the UFC BJJ women’s bantamweight championship title in Las Vegas following arazor-thin split-decision, but she continues to be one of the most notable female athletes in the field.
She mentioned she was handling it “one battle at a time”
Lauren Brown, chair of UKBJJA, described Davies as an “inspiration” for women studying BJJ “throughout the UK and globally”.
She acknowledged that sexism and misogyny “still exist in certain parts of BJJ” which can “discourage women from participating in the sport.”
“Especially if they start their training in places where sexist behavior is not questioned,” she added.
Nevertheless, Brown mentioned that she had observed “increased involvement of women in competitions, more females instructing mixed-gender classes, and a greater emphasis on offering appropriate facilities for women at BJJ studios”.
She stated: “One of the UKBJJA’s goals for 2026 is to train our coaches and enhance protection procedures across all member academies.”
- I took up boxing following ridicule about my speech – now I am a professional.
- Boxing club believed Jake Paul’s support ‘was insincere’
jasdooit 
Leave a comment