Elisabeth Clay is one of the most decorated grapplers competing today, and she has never been shy about addressing what she sees as a fundamental problem in the sport. In an appearance on the Jits and Giggles Podcast, the ADCC and IBJJF champion spoke candidly about the way women are treated in competitive jiu-jitsu, particularly at ADCC, where she believes the organization’s own structure works against the athletes it claims to support.
The core of Clay’s argument is straightforward: you cannot use low female participation numbers to justify lower pay when you are the one setting a cap on how many women can compete.
“You literally only get 8. There’s 24 women in the entire competition,” she said of ADCC’s women’s slots.
That discrepancy, she argues, creates an unfair baseline from the start.
“There’s also just not as much opportunity because there’s only 8 versus 16, and there’s only three divisions.”
For Clay, the issue is not pay disparity based on genuine market differences. She understands the logic of tying prize money to participation numbers.
“I’m okay when people do stuff via the numbers of someone in division,” she explained. “If you’re not the one limiting the numbers, that doesn’t work when you’re the one limiting the numbers and then using that as an excuse for pay.”
When an organization itself sets the ceiling on female competitors and then points to smaller fields as the reason women earn less, the argument falls apart.
She also pushed back on the claim that women’s jiu-jitsu does not generate comparable market interest.
“You know who buys more gear than anyone? It’s women. Even the ones who buy more men’s gear is women. Because a guy has like three rash guards and until it has a huge hole in it, he’s not replacing it. Who’s buying him a new rash guard? His wife. She doesn’t even train.”
The consumer data, she suggested, does not support the narrative that women represent a smaller or less valuable part of the jiu-jitsu economy.
Clay also noted that ADCC’s approach has a real effect on athlete decisions.
“For me, some of how they’re handling stuff turns me off from even wanting to do it.”
Coming from a competitor at her level, that is a significant statement. She believes there are more women capable of competing at the highest level than the current structure allows to surface.
“There’s more women in the sport especially even at a high level than what we’re giving credit for. There’s a lot more high level athletes that could compete that aren’t necessarily doing it.”
Her message to the community was direct: “I feel like people need to speak out more when stuff’s not like fair.”
For Elizabeth Clay, this is one of those times.
