With a nickname like “Duff” (get it? Hillary Duff!) one may tend to overlook the accomplishments and tenacity of the new kid on the block Hillary Williams. Although fairly new on the Jiu-Jitsu scene with only three years experience and a purple belt from Roli Delgado, Williams has emerged as a rising female star on the circuit. So...what's the big deal about Hillary Williams?
The big deal is that Hillary Williams is one of the first American stars to emerge in a sport that has been relatively dominated by men since its inception decades ago. The big deal is that Hillary Williams represents the new generation of Jiu-Jitsu practitioners that are doing their best to continue spreading the word about the sport we love.
The big deal is that Hillary Williams will likely be the face of female Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for years to come and a potential role model for any girl out there who’s interested in entering the sport but afraid because of the overwhelming amount of testosterone in the gym.
So whats the big deal you're still asking yourself? Last month, Hillary Williams had the unenviable task of facing the female MMA and grappling icon Megumi Fujii in the first round of the Abu Dhabi Submission Grappling Championships.
Few gave Williams a chance against the legendary competitor and most wrote her off because of her lack of experience on the big stage. To the surprise of most, Williams stunningly defeated Fujii to move on in the tournament.
Although Williams ended up finishing third in the tournament, the victory over Fujii sent shock waves through the grappling circuit and definitively put Williams name on the map as a female grappling up and comer.
So the question is, with so many hotbeds for Jiu-Jitsu around the world, how does a girl from Arkansas decide on Jiu-Jitsu of all the sports available?
“It was quite by accident, actually. As a kid I went to a bunch of hardcore/punk shows and a friend of mine just disintegrated in front of us. He lost 100 pounds in a year, and would rave about something called Brazilian jiu jitsu. I went and tried out a class and was hooked.
"I played softball for 15 years, golf for 10, and volleyball for 7. That much time in sports where the rules are static and most of the 'plays' don't change, and you start to learn all the ins and outs. Every practice was the same, and I felt like I'd reached a peak. BJJ was something completely new and different.
"Every class, every practice, there's something new there waiting for you. It's constantly evolving, with new techniques being brought in and old techniques being modified that you can't really reach the peak knowledge. I loved that it's so hard to be good at.”
Most fighters have nicknames, its just apart of the sport. Some are ferocious, some intimidating and some are down right scary, but yours on the other hand does not fit into any of these categories. Would you kindly explain why you chose “Duff” as your nickname? You don’t seem like the Hillary Duff type.
“Wow, I wish that would go away, haha. Most of the nicknames that stick were never chosen. After my first class, Roli (my coach) had forgotten my name.
"I told him kindly that it was Hillary, and he blurted, 'Oh, like Hillary Duff?' I gave him a look that bluntly said 'go to hell' and the name stuck. Since then random nicknames pop up from time to time (Killary, Mongoose, Paquita, Gringa) but non of them seem to stick.”
We’ve seen you be successful both with and without the Gi (a pink-Gi at that!) Do you have a preference of one over the other?
“I prefer the gi. There are so many more options. So many more beautiful sweeps and subs can arise when you use the gi that the person is too slippery or the grips aren't right with no-gi.
"At the same time, I think I'm better no-gi. I still have a lot of technical holes and my strength and athleticism allows me to get the advantage no-gi.”
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