Ffion Davies has become a force in the world of grappling, and she’s done it her way, methodical, relentless, and with a healthy dose of Welsh grit. Davies started out tossing opponents on the judo mats as a kid, eventually making the Welsh National Judo Team.
Ffion Davies
But it was Brazilian jiu-jitsu that truly clicked for her. “When I went into jiu-jitsu, it was the first thing that I ever felt intelligent in,” she recalls. “It was like, ‘Wow, I feel smart here, even though I’m not smart.’ But it was the first time that I ever felt clever, like I’m picking it up,” Ffion Davies explained.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu
She’s the first British or Welsh black belt world champion in both gi and no-gi, the first European to win the Brazilian Nationals, and the lightest-ever competitor to win the IBJJF European absolute division. Ffion Davies’ trophy cabinet is bursting: ADCC World Champion, multiple IBJJF World and European titles, and victories over some of the sport’s most decorated names.
But Ffion Davies’ motivation isn’t just about medals. She’s driven by the puzzle of jiu-jitsu itself. “I just love getting better at this because I enjoy it so much… I have so many things to work on,” she says. Even after major wins, she’s quick to point out, “The things that I’ve won, none of them were my ultimate goal… I’m not done, so it’s like that keeps me moving all the time.”
Ffion Davies has also become a leading voice for women in the sport, both on and off the mats. When she started, female coaches in the UK were rare. “Now, for the girls coming through, they can do jiu-jitsu and see a pathway, even though there are so many barriers. If I can be someone that they can look to as, ‘Okay, well, she did it, so I can follow suit,’ that’s important to me,” she says. Her mantra is simple: “If you can’t see it, you can’t be it.”
UFC
Her advocacy doesn’t stop at visibility. Davies is outspoken about pay equity and professionalism in jiu-jitsu. “There absolutely is [money in jiu-jitsu]… Now, having a gym, you can purely be an athlete if you want to. There are athlete sponsorships, way more interest in the sport, and now organizations like UFC. The growth of the sport is so exciting,” she says, while also pushing for more opportunities for women and a cleaner, more marketable sport.
Now, with a two-year UFC contract, with UFC Fight Pass, in hand and her own gym, Arma BJJ, opening in London, Davies is set on coaching the next generation. “Coaching is the antithesis to being an athlete. I love being a competitor, it’s amazing. However, it’s incredibly selfish. To coach someone, you have to give your all to them. I take more joy in helping someone else fulfill their dreams as I do for myself.”
