Ffion Davies has just made history by winning double gold at the IBJJF No Gi World Championship, becoming the first European grappler to ever do so. Winning a world title is a huge moment in the career of any competitor, but winning both a weight class and the absolute division is an incredible achievement that very few ever manage. Davies won the lightweight and absolute division at the IBJJF No Gi World Championship 2023, adding another two titles to her rapidly-growing collection and becoming a four-time champion at the event. What makes this moment so much more special than it would be for anyone else is the fact that Davies comes from an area that does not regularly produce champions.
The majority of No Gi World Champions are either Brazilian or American, and very few competitors from other countries are able to even make it to the podium. Fewer still become champions and until 2023, nobody outside those two countries had won the absolute division. Davies has always been ahead of the curve though, as she made history back in 2018 by becoming the first European competitor to win a gold medal at the event. In winning her division she paved the way for the likes of Adam Wardzinski and Tommy Langaker, who added their names to the short list of Europeans to win a title after her.
Davies added a second IBJJF No Gi World Title to her back in 2021 and becoming the first European to win the event multiple times, but her latest achievement is even more incredible. By winning both the lightweight and the absolute division in 2023, she has actually set two records at the same time. Not only is Ffion Davies the first European to win double gold at the IBJJF No Gi World Championship, but she’s also the first to even win an absolute title at all. Considering she added an ADCC title to her resume last year as well, it’s no exaggeration to say that Davies probably has the strongest claim to being the greatest female grappler on the planet right now.
