Sayonara 2020

Bringing light to the dark recesses of 2020 is no easy feat. Many have tried and many have failed. Never the less, I’ll give it my best to focus on the positives of quite a difficult year.

An unprecedented pandemic with 71.5 million cases and 1.6 million deaths worldwide casted a shadow of fear. Our health, families, jobs, businesses and training were affected. Yet, in the darkest of times, people rose to a higher standard.

A new sense of community emerged. We developed creative ways to learn, teach, socialize and work. Masks became the norm, and we adapted to protect ourselves and others. We suffered riots, elected a new President, developed a vaccine and laid out mats in our living rooms when gyms closed so we could still train. We endured with resilience — something we learn to do in Jiu-Jitsu.

The new decade brings the promise of greatness for women in BJJ & MMA. Evidence is seen all over the pages of this magazine, from the sweaty smiles of our Jiujiteiras Around the World to the rapid increase in women’s only events and competitions.

Speaking of competitors, to close the year com chave de ouro (as we say in Portuguese: golden key), Mona Bailey graces our cover. An inspiring example of strength, the teenager embodies all a Jiujiteira aims for: grace, fortitude, talent, humility, skill, determination. This girl is on fire and alopecia is not holding her back. Discover her journey overcoming the condition and how she helps others living with it (page 6).

Eager to say goodbye to 2020, BJJ gyms celebrated the season with their own holiday festivities. Join in the fun (pages 14-21)!

Watching Dern vs. Jandiroba at UFC256 felt like witnessing two mythological creatures duel. Fresh from giving birth 18 months ago, Dern proved motherhood turns us into lionesses (page 22).

Talking about dangerous females, please join me in welcoming Samantha Seff to our team of columnists. This is a woman you want by your side in case of a riot. She owns who she is and has a voice of her own that can only be described as the howl of a wolf. Known as Wolf Queen, she unleashes topics that pertain to the female universe of BJJ & MMA not everyone is comfortable talking about. Her words command respect and that makes her royalty. Flip to her column, You Look Like a Man on page 42, if you dare.

Finally, a word of encouragement. There is no greater power in the world than a woman determined to rise. Read that again and take it to heart. This is the time to reconnect with your personal power and take back all that 2020 stole. Whatever has been taken from you – training time, freedom, sense of safety, friends, school, job, loved ones – have faith that 2021 will be better. This is a year of accomplishments. Without hesitation, we take on the challenge of making 2021 the best year of our lives. And the best year yet for all women in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Happy New Year! Oss.

– Evelyn Sutton