CdA’s Sarah Paul to headline Spokane Submission Series jiu-jitsu card against second-ranked Helena Crevar

Sarah Paul came out of the frying pan and into the fire of professional jiu-jitsu.

Right after Paul defeated Yelena Badicke at the Spokane Submission Series in June, she was approached with her first big-name fight: John Danaher’s 17-year-old purple belt prodigy Helena Crevar.

Crevar is ranked the No. 2 female NoGi grappler in the world after winning silver at the Abu Dhabi Combat Club’s World Championships in August. According to FloGrappling, Crevar’s professional jiu-jitsu record is 9-1.

Fighting Crevar was “more of a passing conversation,” according to Paul.

Tournament director Adam Smith took the conversation and ran with it, messaging Crevar on Instagram.

“(I) offered her a fair amount, $2,000 to show and $2,000 if she wins,” Smith said, noting the monetary significance due to the low payday at jiu-jitsu events. “We’ve had some high-level black belts on the card, and (Crevar is) right up there getting paid the same amount.”

Aside from the prize money, the athletes will compete for the Spokane Submission Series’ first 145-pound female title belt.

“We’re at that point now, having done 13 events, that we’ve had some top-ranked females on our previous events,” Smith said as to why he instituted the belt. “The winner of (Paul versus Crevar) will compete against Tamara Ferreira, who was the winner of our last year’s female co-main event.”

As Crevar has plenty of tape on her from previous matches and Paul has previously watched her compete, Paul thinks she has the advantage by knowing Crevar’s game.

“I wouldn’t say I’m necessarily a wholehearted fan (of Crevar), but I definitely respect her amazing jiu-jitsu,” Paul said.

Paul’s game is more well-rounded, tending to gravitate more toward arms and chokes. Crevar likes to lock up and submit the legs. To account for that, Paul has been focusing on defending and attacking the legs.

“I’ve kept to what I do and I’ve kind of mastered my craft these last couple months,” Paul said, noting that she has been careful not to get stuck playing Crevar’s game. “I’ve been working on (some tricks) to throw off her game as well.”

With the status Crevar has, people expect her to win, which adds a pressure Paul said she doesn’t share.

“I’m just kind of a nobody coming out of the woodwork,” Paul said. “So in some ways, the only person I’d be letting down would be myself.”

Paul, however, doesn’t plan on being let down.

“I plan to be happy no matter which way the match goes,” Paul said. “I’m just excited to do it.”

For both athletes, this is the first time they will compete in a pit.

“(The pit) provides more of a safe environment for athletes to really be explosive without the fear of going out of bounds or falling out of the competition area,” Smith said.

Previous events showcased athletes on a raised platform, but Smith is debuting the Spokane Submission Pit under the Pavillion.

First seen in jiu-jitsu during the Craig Jones Invitational tournament in August, a pit is a depressed mat with padded walls.

The Spokane Submission Pit’s walls are only 3 feet high, but the slope is just more than 4 feet long, according to Smith.

The CJI has been secretive about pit specs. As the pit has no regulations in competition due to being a new phenomenon, the opportunities are endless.

“I do think that the pit is going to be awesome and I’m very excited for it,” Paul said, via text. “I think it’s such a good way to put this tournament in the big leagues with the other ones.”

Athletes are able to use the mat and walls to their advantage. One bonus rule, however, should make the night interesting.

“Throw your partner outside the pit, you win,” Smith said.

Easier said than done. Smith said to get an opponent out of the pit is “about a 6-foot jump.”

“I haven’t been training super specific to the pit since I don’t really have a way to do that,” Paul said via text. “I heard about (the pit addition) not long ago, which didn’t give me much time to prepare in terms of training.”

With the addition of the rule, all matches operate under ADCC finals rules, which allow chokes and for competitors to attack all the limbs of the body.

Fan favorites on the card will include black belts Ryan Mulvihill, Zack Schneider and Alex Larmey, as well as UFC flyweight Julianna Miller, who was slated to fight Paul on an earlier event.

“She seems like a really cool person with a lot of skill, and I’m really excited to see that (match),” Paul said. “It’s going to be a fun one.”

The Spokane Submission Series 3 can be watched live at the Pavillion starting at 5 p.m. or streamed live on millions.co. Tickets are available through AXS.