Reduxx published an exclusive article on Friday highlighting the stance taken by female martial artists who opted out of a jiu-jitsu event due to the increasing dominance of men in the women’s division. The North American Grappling Association (NAGA) swiftly revised its rules within a day of the article’s release in response to the widespread outcry generated by the news. The embargo proved effective, leading to a new policy that exclusively permits women to participate in female events at NAGA-sanctioned matches.

Riley Gaines discussed the significant victory for women’s athletics during an interview with Charly Arnolt on OutKick the Morning Monday. Describing it as monumental, Gaines expressed, “That is what we have needed to see.” She emphasized the importance of witnessing women stand up and resist, pointing out the evident results when they do. Remarkably, NAGA altered its policies within a remarkably brief 21-hour period, choosing to prioritize fairness over inclusion and safeguard women’s sports.

Gaines commended both Reduxx and the Independent Council on Women’s Sports (ICONS) for drawing attention to the issue. She acknowledged that without this spotlight on jiu-jitsu, a sport not widely known, many people might not have been aware of the situation. Gaines stated, “Let’s be real: I don’t think a lot of people would know about this had someone not drawn attention to it because it’s jiu-jitsu. It’s not probably a high-revenue sport or anything like that. So a lot of people wouldn’t have known about this.”