Elisabeth Clay is on her way back to the competition mats for the first time this year as the new mother has made her intentions known that she is planning her return at the 2024 IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championships. Clay, a former IBJJF Pan & World No-Gi Champion and the reigning WNO 145lb Champion, welcomed her first child with her husband Danilo Moreira on August 19th.

That means that just 74 days will have passed between her becoming a mother and taking the mats. That is an incredible turnaround and certainly Clay will have a lot of people interested to see how she is doing after this extended absence. She is one of women's grappling's true stars who has made her reputation with aggressive submission offense and a smash-mouth attitude to competition that has earned her a lot of titles and respect.

Clay made the announcement on Instagram earlier this week:

"Nogi pans here I come. Finally feeling like my timing is starting to come back a little more. I’d say I’m probably at around 80% which isn’t too bad, and I’m dying to get back out there"

Clay has been out of competition since last December, when she submitted Luiza Monteiro at UFC Fight Pass Invitational. She is still currently ranked as the 4th-best 145lb female no-gi grappler.

IBJJF No-Gi Pans is going down November 1-3 in Fort Worth, TX. We don't know yet what division Clay will enter but she traditionally has competed at middle, 147lbs. If she does enter, faceoffs with athletes like Nadia Frankland, Gabi Schuck, and Brittney Johnson could await her.

Watch BJJ On FloGrappling

FloGrappling is the streaming home to the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu events and news coverage. FloGrappling is the streaming home of: 

• ADCC
• IBJJF
• WNO
• Fight to Win
• And more!

Join The BJJ Conversation By Following FloGrappling On Social

• Follow us on Twitter @flograppling.
• Follow us on Instagram @flograppling.
• Watch us on YouTube.
• Like us on Facebook.