Ffion Davies

Ffion Davies is a Welsh world and ADCC champion whose training journey led from Swansea to a head-coach role at London's ARMA.

Last updated: 20 September 2026

Biography

Ffion Davies is a Welsh jiu-jitsu competitor and coach who won both an IBJJF adult black-belt world title and ADCC gold in 2022. Her career has taken her through training rooms in Wales, Dublin and New York, and into the head-coach role at London's ARMA academy. Finding a different kind of groundwork Born in Swansea in 1995, Davies first trained in judo, including a full-time year under Craig Ewers at Sophia Gardens. In a 2015 interview, she described losing enthusiasm for judo while discovering how much she enjoyed BJJ's groundwork—the part of judo she had disliked. She began at Chris Rees's Swansea academy around 2013, initially as a hobby, then started competing. Brett Johns's social-media posts and watching Ronda Rousey encouraged her interest in MMA. Rees organized her preparation, including striking with Sam Thomas. She said she learned to trust his instructions during competition. Rees awarded her blue belt. At purple belt, she joined Darragh O'Conaill's East Coast Jiu-Jitsu program through CF24 in Cardiff. She traveled to Dublin in June 2018 and stayed. Explaining the move in 2020, Davies emphasized what the training room offered her: more partners close to her size, strong women to train with and teammates aiming for the same major competitions. O'Conaill promoted her to black belt in Dublin on November 27, 2018. She soon won the women's adult black-belt featherweight division at the 2018 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds, representing ECJJA. At the 2019 ADCC World Championship she finished second in the women's under-60-kilogram division. Making a competitive career work In September 2020, Davies named two goals: an IBJJF black-belt world title, then ADCC gold. Pandemic restrictions kept her training in small professional-athlete groups; she missed teaching and the lighter sessions between harder ones. Seminars, gym instruction and sponsors supported her career because competition alone did not pay enough. She also argued that promotion could build audiences for women's matches, while limited places on event cards constrained earnings. At the same time, she wanted interviewers to engage with her as an athlete beyond debates about gender. Davies moved her training to JT Torres's Essential Jiu-Jitsu in New York in 2022. That year, she achieved both goals: the IBJJF adult women's black-belt lightweight world title, competing under Atos Jiu-Jitsu, and ADCC gold at under 60 kilograms, ahead of Brianna St. Marie. She retained the gi world title in 2023, again in adult black-belt lightweight. The 2023 No-Gi Worlds brought another pair of titles, at lightweight and in the open class, both in the adult women's black-belt divisions. In the lightweight final, back control, guard passing and mount took her to a 21–0 win over Amanda Bruse. Against Gabi McComb in the open final, she escaped a triangle submission, used a takedown entry to reach the back and finished a rear-naked choke. Building a teaching role By July 2025, Davies was preparing to become head coach at the new ARMA academy in London. She now holds that role in Clapham, teaching gi fundamentals and advanced classes, no-gi competition sessions and a beginner no-gi group. Her IBJJF competition association is listed separately as Atos JJ International. Her Ffion Online platform describes an approach based on principles, structured courses and direct explanations with humor. It aims to organize learning around understanding rather than remembering long technical sequences. Her teaching therefore reaches both the weekly academy classes and students using her online courses. She also continued competing in the gi: at the 2025 IBJJF World Master Championship, she won the women's Master 1 black-belt lightweight division for Atos. This was an age-group title, distinct from her adult world championships. In a March 2026 interview, Davies described preparing at ARMA with its coaches and students. Individual superfights gave her more time to study opponents, although she preferred focusing on her own improvement. She said experience had changed how she balanced entertainment and tactics after taking unnecessary risks when younger; risk-taking still mattered to her development. For UFC BJJ's five-minute grappling rounds, she prepared for greater intensity and wanted to show her wrestling and guard skills alongside her top game. Cassia Moura defeated her by split decision for the inaugural UFC BJJ women's bantamweight championship on March 12, 2026. At UFC BJJ 9 on June 4, Davies submitted Amanda Bruse with an armbar at 4:49 of the first round. The bout report describes her escaping an early flying triangle, taking the back and switching from a choke attack to the armbar as Bruse defended.

Sources for this profile

BJJ Heroes, Ffion Davies, biography.(opens in a new tab)
- Ffion Eira Davies was born in Swansea, Wales, in 1995.
  Where in the source: Biography opening, date and birthplace.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- Darragh O'Conaill promoted Davies to BJJ black belt in Dublin on 27 November 2018.
  Where in the source: Biography closing promotion paragraph.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- Rees awarded her blue belt. At purple belt she shifted to O'Conaill's East Coast Jiu-Jitsu programme, initially through CF24 in Cardiff.
  Where in the source: Middle biography paragraphs on blue/purple belts and the ECJJA affiliate.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- She travelled to Dublin in June 2018 and stayed, finding the training environment suited her development.
  Where in the source: Final biography paragraphs, relocation before promotion.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Chloe Martinez, ARMA, 2026-06-24.(opens in a new tab)
- Davies is a Welsh athlete from Britain.
  Where in the source: National identity and weekly teaching, introductory biography.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- Her regular ARMA teaching includes gi fundamentals and advanced classes, no-gi competition training and a beginner no-gi cohort.
  Where in the source: National identity and weekly teaching, introductory biography.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
ARMA BJJ, academy and coaching timetable, accessed 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
- Davies is ARMA BJJ's head coach in Clapham, London.
  Where in the source: Coach section and footer address.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Emma Bramford, 2015-02-18.(opens in a new tab)
- After childhood judo and a full-time year with Craig Ewers at Sophia Gardens, Davies lost enthusiasm but enjoyed BJJ groundwork. She joined Chris Rees in Swansea around 2013 as a hobby and began competing. Brett Johns's posts and Ronda Rousey encouraged MMA interest. Rees arranged preparation with striking coach Sam Thomas; she learned to trust his competition instructions.
  Where in the source: Background, transition and coaching answers.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Alex Lindsey, Jits Magazine, Ffion Davies on the Difference Between Training in Wales and Ireland, 26 September 2020.(opens in a new tab)
- In 2020 Davies explained that Ireland offered more partners near her size, strong female training partners and teammates pursuing the same major-tournament goals.
  Where in the source: Main report and quoted comparison of Welsh and Irish training.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, World No-Gi Championship 2018, official final results.(opens in a new tab)
- Davies won the female adult black-belt featherweight division at the 2018 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds for ECJJA.
  Where in the source: Female / Adult / Black / Feather (125.00lb); complete four-row podium.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
ADCC Federation, World Championship 2019, official results.(opens in a new tab)
- She finished second in the women's under-60 kg division at the 2019 ADCC World Championship.
  Where in the source: Official results: FEMALE -60KG ordered list.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Louie Martin, 2020-09-23.(opens in a new tab)
- In 2020 Davies sought IBJJF black-belt world gold, then ADCC gold. Restricted Dublin training during the pandemic lacked the teaching and lighter sessions she missed. Competition alone was insufficient income; seminars, teaching and sponsors supported her. She argued that promotion creates demand for women’s matches and limited card slots restrict earnings, while wanting recognition beyond gender debates.
  Where in the source: Training, goals, income and women’s opportunities.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Danny O'Donnell, IBJJF, 2023-12-13.(opens in a new tab)
- She moved her training to JT Torres's Essential Jiu-Jitsu in New York in 2022.
  Where in the source: Opening Davies section: relocation.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- In the 2023 no-gi lightweight final she combined back control, passing and mount in a 21–0 win over Amanda Bruse.
  Where in the source: Davies section: weight final.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- In the absolute final she escaped Gabi McComb's triangle, used a takedown entry to reach the back and finished a rear-naked choke.
  Where in the source: Davies section: absolute final.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, World Championship 2022, official final results.(opens in a new tab)
- Davies won the female adult black-belt lightweight title at the 2022 IBJJF Worlds, registered under Atos Jiu-Jitsu.
  Where in the source: Female / Adult / Black / Light (141.60lb), all four podium rows.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
ADCC Federation, World Championship 2022, official results.(opens in a new tab)
- She won the women's under-60 kg division at ADCC 2022, ahead of Brianna St. Marie, Bia Mesquita and Bianca Basilio.
  Where in the source: Official results: FEMALE -60KG, all four ordered places.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, World Championship 2023, official final results.(opens in a new tab)
- She retained the IBJJF adult female black-belt lightweight world title in 2023, again listed with Atos Jiu-Jitsu.
  Where in the source: Female / Adult / Black / Light (141.60lb), complete podium.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, World No-Gi Championship 2023, official final results.(opens in a new tab)
- At the 2023 No-Gi Worlds she won both female adult black-belt lightweight and open class for Atos Jiu-Jitsu.
  Where in the source: Female / Adult / Black / Light and Open Class; both complete podium tables.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Jits Magazine, JitsCast 38: Ffion Davies, 21 July 2025.(opens in a new tab)
- By July 2025 Davies was preparing to become head coach at the new ARMA academy in London, following years training in Wales, Ireland and New York.
  Where in the source: Article opening and paragraphs on Torres and ARMA.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Ffion Online, teaching approach and course platform, accessed 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
- Her Ffion Online platform presents teaching around principles, structured courses and straightforward explanations with humour, rather than long sequences to memorize.
  Where in the source: Teaching approach and course description on homepage.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Simon Head, UFC, 2026-03-11.(opens in a new tab)
- In March 2026 Davies prepared at ARMA with coaches and students. Individual superfights allowed opponent study, though she prioritized her own improvement. She described balancing entertainment with tactics after youthful risks, while still valuing risk-taking. Five-minute UFC BJJ rounds called for higher intensity than longer matches; she wanted to show wrestling and guard skills alongside top work.
  Where in the source: ARMA, tactics and round preparation.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
UFC, UFC BJJ 6: Fowler vs Machado Results, March 2026.(opens in a new tab)
- Cassia Moura defeated Davies by split decision for the inaugural UFC BJJ women's bantamweight championship on 12 March 2026.
  Where in the source: Event header/date and complete Moura–Davies result section.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
Simon Head, UFC, 2026-06-05.(opens in a new tab)
- At UFC BJJ 9 on 4 June 2026 she submitted Amanda Bruse with an armbar at 4:49 of the first round.
  Where in the source: Event header/date and complete Davies–Bruse result section.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
- Against Bruse she escaped an early flying triangle, took the back and changed from a rear-naked-choke attack to an armbar when Bruse defended.
  Where in the source: Davies–Bruse round narrative.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, Ffion Davies athlete record, accessed 20 September 2026.(opens in a new tab)
- The IBJJF currently lists Davies under Atos JJ International.
  Where in the source: Athlete header, association beneath her name.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20
IBJJF, World Master Championship 2025, official final results.(opens in a new tab)
- She won the female Master 1 black-belt lightweight division at the 2025 IBJJF World Master Championship, representing Atos Jiu-Jitsu.
  Where in the source: Female / Master 1 / Black / Light (141.60lb), complete four-row podium.
  Accessed: 2026-09-20

Competition results

Recorded tournament results, newest first
Year	Event	Result	Division
2022	ADCC 2022Source: adcombat.com-60 kgNo-giVerified	1st place	-60 kgNo-giVerified
2019	ADCC 2019Source: adcombat.com-60 kgNo-giVerified	2nd place	-60 kgNo-giVerified
2018	IBJJF No-Gi World ChampionshipSource: ibjjf.comFeatherNo-giVerified	1st place	FeatherNo-giVerified

Lineage

View in lineage tree

Trained under

Darragh O’Conaill Source: bjjheroes.com