Elisabeth Clay - Young Prodigy of Jiu-Jitsu

Elisabeth Clay, a rising star in the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, was born on 10th June 2000, in Texas, USA, and spent the first eight years of her life there before embarking on a remarkable journey that has taken her to the pinnacle of the sport at such an early age of 23.

From a young age, Clay was connected with sports and started gymnastics classes at the tender age of 18 months, following in the footsteps of her elder siblings. She quickly progressed to the competitive side of the sport and developed a strong passion for athletics.

Elizabeth Clay used to harbor a passion for the Olympics, as she has always dreamed of representing her beloved home country on the world's grandest athletic stage.

At the age of 8, he embarked on a new adventure with her family, leaving behind the familiar comforts of home to start a new chapter in Oklahoma. Little did she know, this journey would change the trajectory of her life, hindering her from ever realizing her lifelong dream.

After spending two years in Oklahoma, Clay's family settled in Soldotna, Alaska, where she continued her gymnastics training. However, the level of coaching and lack of ambition from the team caused Clay to abandon her dream of representing the United States in the Olympic Games. This was a difficult decision for the passionate young athlete, who had set her sights on the prestigious competition since she was a toddler.

At the age of 12, Elisabeth began to search for an alternative sport that would satisfy her competitive nature. She found what she was looking for in mixed martial arts (MMA) at a small, local club. While training in all aspects of MMA, including striking and grappling, Elisabeth discovered her grappling preferences.

Elisabeth Clay's dedication to grappling was unwavering as she started devoting all her spare time to Jiu-Jitsu, training under the guidance of coach Mason Ryder Spadafore. For four years, she honed her skills in her current hometown, Soldotna, Alaska, until she decided it was time to take her training to the next level.

In search of a more diverse practice room, Elisabeth opted to join Jordan Kontra's Legacy Jiu-Jitsu in Anchorage. The gym was affiliated with the international grappling team, Ares, which provided an excellent platform for her to showcase her skills on the international circuit. Under Kontra's guidance, Elisabeth's star continued to rise, and she won medals at the World, Pan, and ADCC trials.

After demonstrating her potential on the international circuit, Elisabeth made the bold decision to move to the Ares Jiu-Jitsu Team headquarters in Modesto, California. There, she continued to progress and sharpen her skill set while training under two of the top grappling coaches in the nation, Osvaldo Moizinho and Samir Chantre.

Elisabeth Clay's rapid rise to grappling stardom was nothing short of remarkable. Her dedication, hard work, and unwavering focus on her goals propelled her to the top of the sport. At the age of 21, Elisabeth was already considered one of the best female grapplers at her belt level, with an impressive list of accolades.

In 2019, Elisabeth Clay was forced to return to Alaska due to family reasons. Despite this setback, she continued to make regular trips to the Ares base camp to train with her coaches and compete against some of the toughest athletes in the sport.

Elisabeth Clay's success on the professional circuit, particularly in No-Gi grappling, was amazing. Her victories over some of the top names in the sport earned her a reputation as one of the most promising young talents in the grappling world. Her tremendous achievements also caught the attention of elite coaches like Samir Chantre and Osvaldo Moizinho, who recognized her skill and dedication.

Elisabeth's dedication to her craft paid off in November 2020, when she was awarded her black belt by her coaches, Samir Chantre and Osvaldo Moizinho. This was a significant milestone in her grappling career and a testament to her hard work and commitment to the grappling sport.

Elisabeth's dedication to grappling paid off as she quickly excelled in the sport. She competed in her first Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournament at the age of 14, winning a gold medal. This success continued as she competed in several other grappling tournaments, earning a reputation as a formidable opponent.

In 2020, Elisabeth won gold in the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) No-Gi World Championship, cementing her position as one of the world's top female grapplers.

In January 2021, Elizabeth Clay was recognized by FloGrappling as the "2020 Female Grappler of the Year," indicating her meteoric rise in the combat sport.

In February of the same year, Elisabeth Clay made her black belt Gi debut at the prestigious Fight to Win 165 tournament. The newcomer submitted Maria Malyjasiak, ranked number two in the medium heavyweight division, via a toehold. Clay’s remarkable performance in her debut paved the way to earning her the Welterweight Gi title.

In May 2021, Clay continued her winning streak at Subversiv 5 in Miami. In the Superfight, she submitted Andressa Cintra with a kneebar, demonstrating her versatile skills.

In the same year, Clay participated in several major events and proved the proficiency of her technical skills. At the Pan-American Championship, she won a Silver Medal. However, she bounced back at the 2021 Pan No-Gi Championship, earning double gold at both the absolute and middleweight divisions. After that, Clay submitted renowned grappler Kendall Reusing in the final round of the Pan No-Gi championship. Clay’s 100% submission rate from the inception of her grappling career was a testament to her exceptional grappling technique.

In October 2021, Elisabeth Clay won the most coveted award of her grappling career- first black belt world title at IBJJF World No-Gi Championship. In the same year, she also won the Silver Medal in the No-Gi championship in the absolute division.

The highly competitive world of professional women's AJP tour of the 2021-2022 seasons saw Elisabeth Clay showcase impressive grappling feats, cementing her place among the top players in the United States. She ranked 4th in the USA.

Furthermore, her remarkable performance earned her a notable position in North America, securing an impressive 36th place among the continent's most elite athletes.

In the 2022-2023 ranking, Elisabeth Clay ranked 9 under the 70 kg division in the professional women’s AJP tournament.

In April 2022, Elisabeth Clay competed in the ADCC West Coast Trials, where she reached the semi-finals but lost to Amy Campo. However, in September 2022, she competed in the ADCC World Championship replacing Carina Santi, faced Campo once again in the competition but lost by points.

All that scenario failed to demotivate the passionate grappler of Jiu-Jitsu. She came back with more power and dedication at the 2021 Pan No-Gi Championship. In The Pan No-Gi championship held in October, Clay continued to dominate the competition, winning her weight and the open weight in a row. Incredibly, she submitted all six of her opponents and won Double Gold.

In 2023, Clay won a Bronze Medal in her weight division of the IBJJF European Championship, showcasing her consistency of winning streak.

On the night of March 11, 2023, Clay was summoned to showcase her immense fighting spirit at the prestigious women's under 66kg Grand Prix, hosted by Polaris 23.

Clay dominated her opponents through her fierce determination. She defeated Ffion Davies, Joanna Dineva, and Amy Campo in the tournament and emerged victorious as the undisputed champion of the tournament by winning $20,000.

On 26th March 2023, Clay cemented her status as one of the top grapplers by winning a gold medal in her weight category at the IBJJF Pan Championship. Clay’s latest achievement added to her already impressive collection of titles, and she continues to be ranked No. 1 in the IBJJF No-Gi black belt category.

The stage was set for an epic showdown at the IBJJF World Championship semi-final as two grappling prodigies, Elisabeth Clay and Raiana Mara faced off in a highly anticipated match. As the fight began, Raiana Mara wasted no time in catching Elisabeth in her strong grip, putting her on the defensive.

But Elisabeth's technical skills were not to be underestimated. With her eyes locked on victory, she fought tooth and nail to break free and gain the upper hand. In a thrilling turn of events, Elisabeth managed to catch Raiana in a heel hook, putting her opponent in a precarious position.

Despite Raiana's best efforts, Elisabeth's strong grip proved too much to overcome. She maintained her dominant position and continued to apply pressure with the heel hook until Raiana was forced to tap out, handing Elisabeth the well-deserved victory.

The 2021 IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship final between Elisabeth Clay and Kendall Reusing was a spectacle that excited every spectator. The anticipation was palpable as the two grappling champions stepped onto the mat, ready to give it all.

Kendall Reusing made the first move, taking Elisabeth down with a thunderous takedown. But Elisabeth Clay's quick thinking and expert skills soon came into play. She managed to secure a close-guard attempt that completely turned the match on its head.

Despite Kendall's valiant efforts to regain control, Elisabeth's elite technical skills proved too much to handle. She expertly countered every move with precision and finesse, leaving Kendall scrambling to keep up.

In the end, it was Elisabeth who emerged victorious, submitting Kendall by an Armlock. The crowd erupted in thunderous applause as she was presented the title of  IBJJF Pan No-Gi Champion.

The IBJJF No-Gi Championship Final of the medium heavyweight division between Elisabeth Clay and Vanessa Griffin was an absolute stunner. The tension was high as the two fierce competitors faced each other.

From the very beginning, Elisabeth Clay made her intentions clear as she expertly caught Vanessa Griffin in her brutal chokehold, maintaining her dominant position. Vanessa fought valiantly to free herself from the strong grip of Elisabeth but to no avail. Elisabeth's technique and control were simply too much to handle.

As the match progressed, it was clear that Vannessa was in complete control of Elisabeth. Despite Vanessa's best defense and holding out to the triangle application of Clay, Vannessa eventually tapped out by the Technical Triangle submission. .

Elisabeth Clay vs. Thamara Ferriera | Fight To Win 186

Elisabeth Clay v Gabrielle McComb / World NoGi 2021

Elisabeth Clay v Vannessa Griffin / Pan No-Gi 2022

Photos Credit: @elisabethclaybjj