What Women's No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Looked Like Before Anyone Was Watching

Professor Lila Smadja-Cruz is a second degree black belt from 10th Planet under Eddie Bravo. She started at the Bomb Squad in West Hollywood doing Muay Thai at fourteen, watched Eddie Bravo and a group of no-gi practitioners take over the mat after her class, and thought she would never do that. She eventually did. She never left. In this conversation, Smadja-Cruz traces the full arc: from Muay Thai at Legends MMA to her first jiu-jitsu competition at NAGA, from EBI 5 against Talita Alencar to EBI 12, the first all-female EBI card, where she submitted her first opponent in nineteen seconds and made it to the semis against a then-unknown eighteen-year-old named Erin Blanchfield. She talks about the Japan Quintet — cherry blossom season, a handmade medal from Sakuraba, an all-10th Planet women's team and what it meant to compete on that stage before any of it was considered history. Prof. Lila also shares tales from the competition arena, and talks about the anxiety that made her body physically shut down before Muay Thai fights, twice, before she ever set foot in a ring. How jiu-jitsu gave her a different relationship with those same nerves, not by eliminating them, but by giving her a context where she could push through rather than freeze. The second half of the conversation shifts to 10th Planet Pasadena. the school she and Professor Erik "Compella" Cruz opened in 2017, the same week they returned from their honeymoon. What it means to build a gym around community rather than performance. The LA fires and what happened when half the membership lost their homes. How a school's culture is set entirely from the top, and what happens when it isn't. The kids program, the toxic parent dynamic, and why she thinks losing in front of other people is one of the most important things a child can learn to do. Prof. Lila also runs Femvasion, an all-female camp taught by 10th Planet black belt women. Their fourth camp is June 5–7, 2026 This episode was recorded at 10th Planet Pasadena. Chapters: 00:00 Introducing Prof. Lila Smadja-Cruz 02:11 Early Muay Thai Training and First Exposure to Jiu-Jitsu 05:55 From Muay Thai Anxiety to Loving Jiu-Jitsu 10:51 Competing in EBI and Reflections on Women's MMA 14:31 How to Control Nerves in Muay Thai and Jiu-Jitsu 17:44 Lila's Dominant Performance at the First All-Female EBI 21:36 Pioneering Women's No-Gi and the Physical Toll of Competition 25:41 Navigating Post-Competition Life and Training Motivation 28:49 10th Planet's Leg Lock Prowess and ADCC Trials Story 33:27 All-Female Quintet in Japan 43:47 Building a Dream: Opening 10th Planet Pasadena with Erik Cruz 50:25 10p Pasadena's Resilience After Devastating Fires 54:41 The Broader Benefits of Jiu-Jitsu and Learning to Lose 01:01:34 Fostering Respect and Sportsmanship in the Kids' Program 01:06:39 The Importance of Strong Leadership to Prevent Abuse 01:11:10 Overcoming Ego and Growing as a Leader in Women's Jiu-Jitsu 01:15:12 Femvasion: Empowering Women and Fostering Jiu-Jitsu Community 01:21:26 Rapidfire Questions & Outro Sponsors: Interested in sponsoring The Grappling Monthly Podcast? Email: grapplingmonthly@gmail.com Follow Grappling Monthly Instagram: @grapplingmonthly YouTube: @grapplingmonthly Website: grapplingmonthly.com #bjj #jiujitsu #grappling #brazilianjiujitsu #nogi #ibjjf #grapplingmonthly #martialarts #bjjpodcast #losangeles About Grappling Monthly Grappling Monthly is an independent editorial media brand covering the culture, people, and business of Brazilian jiu-jitsu and the grappling arts. Based in Los Angeles, the brand produces in-depth conversations with the coaches, gym owners, competitors, and practitioners shaping the sport. The Grappling Monthly Podcast is the flagship property. A weekly long-form interview series hosted by Sébastien Maniatopoulos, a BJJ black belt establishing roots in the Southern California grappling community. The brand's editorial focus is on the human stories behind the art: how academies are built, how practitioners evolve, how the culture of jiu-jitsu intersects with identity, business, and community.