How Tara Thornton is taking mats, and the internet, by storm

Written by Vicky Beckett, Tuesday 27th May 2025

Having only trained jiu-jitsu for about three years, Tara Thornton is already making waves on and off the mats. Having just won the ADCC Worlds amateur championships, she has her eyes on the AJP Worlds later this year. She’s also spoken out about topics such as sexual abuse in gyms, the BJJ gender pay gap and discrimination found in jiu-jitsu.

When did you start jiu-jitsu?

I started on 11 February 2022. The world was just coming out of Covid restrictions, and I was craving connection and structure. A PT at my gym noticed I was lifting pretty heavy and suggested I try jiu-jitsu. When he explained what it was, I genuinely thought he was mad.

But I went. One session and I was completely obsessed. There was something about the mix of chaos and control, the adrenaline, the mental puzzle. I was in a dark place before I found BJJ, and I will always be incredibly grateful to the community and to the sport for keeping me alive.

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You’ve been very vocal online, campaigning for equal pay and discussing sexual misconduct in gyms, for example. Although I understand you’ve experienced pushback. Have you been surprised by the amount of resistance you received?

Yes — and no. On one hand, I expected some resistance. I’ve worked in male-dominated industries before, and I’m used to the discomfort people feel when you challenge the norm. But I was shocked by how aggressive and dehumanising some of the backlash has been, especially online.

It’s not just disagreement – it’s incel-style comments, anonymous accounts spewing hate, and people twisting my words or intentions. And often it comes from people who have never done anything to support women in the sport, but feel entitled to speak over us when we ask for something better.

I’ve never said that men aren’t important in the sport — I’ve said that women deserve visibility, investment, and safety. That shouldn’t be controversial, and yet it often is.