Ffion Davies UFC Fight Pass deal was hailed as a win for women in BJJ—until Craig Jones publicly called her out for hypocrisy.
Now, the BJJ World is split. Davies is firing back, claiming PED normalization, not exclusivity, is what’s keeping women from major brand deals.
The clash has sparked a fiery debate over integrity, equity, and the cost of opportunity in elite grappling.
When Signing a Dream Deal Turns Into a Public War
Ffion Davies made headlines this week after joining UFC Fight Pass’s growing roster of elite grapplers—an achievement widely seen as a victory for female representation in Jiu-Jitsu. But just days later, her celebration turned into controversy when Craig Jones took to social media to call her out for what he views as a double standard.
“We are being held back by competitors in the field that might potentially be blocking certain athletes from participating in our event.”– Craig Jones –
The statement hit hard. While Davies has long positioned herself as a vocal advocate for gender equality in BJJ, Jones’ criticism suggests her deal could be part of the very problem she fights against: closing doors for others to open one for herself.
Craig Jones Turns Up the Heat on Equality Talk
Jones didn’t mince words. Known for pushing boundaries in and out of competition, the Aussie star framed Davies’ decision as emblematic of how contractual exclusivity can contradict public advocacy.
And in doing so, he reignited a larger debate over the direction of the sport itself. His critique taps into a growing concern: as promotions like UFC Fight Pass Invitational increasingly lock down talent, who gets left out in the cold?
“Especially certain athletes that do have quite a powerful woman’s agenda in the sport that might have simply thought about themselves and their contract, not what’s better for the female athlete population as a whole.”– Craig Jones –
And does the Ffion Davies UFC contract, which represents the practice of signing up to a single platform limit the broader growth of the sport, particularly for women?
Ffion Davies Fights Back: PED Culture Is the Real Barrier
Davies didn’t let the criticism go unanswered. In her own words, she redirected the Ffion Davies UFC contract conversation toward what she sees as the true elephant in the room: the normalization of PEDs (performance-enhancing drugs) in Jiu-Jitsu—and how that alienates mainstream sponsors.
“There are some things in the sport like the heavy use of ster*ids, for example, that can be unfortunately associated with Jiu-Jitsu.”– Ffion Davies –
For Davies, the issue isn’t exclusivity—it’s integrity. She argues that PED culture is what’s keeping Jiu-Jitsu from being viewed as a respectable, marketable sport on par with other athletic disciplines. And until that changes, gender equity and commercial growth will both stagnate.
A Sport at a Crossroads: Contracts, Credibility, and Chaos
What makes this public clash so compelling isn’t just the star power—it’s that both Davies and Jones represent distinct visions for the sport’s future.
Davies champions professionalism, visibility, and legitimacy through polished media partnerships and clean athletic image. Jones embodies the rebel spirit of no-gi grappling: raw, unsanctioned, and unfiltered.
And the timing couldn’t be more potent. With major players like UFC Fight Pass, FloGrappling, and CJI reshaping the competitive landscape, fighters are increasingly forced to choose: play by the rules for access, or remain independent and risk irrelevance.
“If things like this can start to be peeled back and removed, I feel like it’ll be a big push in the right direction to have bigger brands and things interested in it.”– Ffion Davies –
In any case, the Ffion Davies UFC Fight Pass contract resulted in one of the best women’s Jiu-Jitsu matches we’ve seen lately. On May 29, Davies battled it out with Adele Fornarino at UFC FPI 11, barely scrapping with a win in a match many thought she lost.
The Ffion Davies UFC deal was supposed to be a celebration. Instead, it became a lightning rod for issues long simmering beneath the surface of BJJ—about fairness, contracts, and who really benefits from the sport’s rapid expansion.
Craig Jones may have thrown the first punch in this war of words, but Ffion Davies is far from backing down. If anything, she’s raising the stakes by demanding the sport confront its own uncomfortable truths.
And as the sport continues to walk the tightrope between growth and authenticity, this clash between two of its biggest names could prove to be more than just a personal spat—it might be a defining moment in Jiu-Jitsu’s modern history.
