Fight 2 Win has made it to Hawaii for their first event not held within the contiguous United States and their 100th event since the promotion’s inception. A trip of this magnitude deserves a main event to match, and the promotion has crafted just that by making Tracey Goodell a part of it. Goodell will be going up against fellow black belt Rita Gribben in a 125-lb match, and for the Hawaii native, this event is personal. “Trying to get F2W in Hawaii seemed almost impossible at first,” says Goodell. “But we kept pushing hard to make it happen. I really wanted to be able to show everyone what our team (CJJF) has to offer and that for a tiny island, we can make some noise.”
Goodell herself is a bit of a local legend in the jiu-jitsu scene. Not only is she the state’s first female black belt, but she also earned the honor of being the Fight 2 Win female black belt gi fighter of the year. It’s one of many major achievements the accomplished athlete has earned during her time on the mats. “Throughout my jiu-jitsu career, I’m definitely proud of my double gold achievements, winning in Brazil and Japan. Most importantly the impact I’ve made in women’s jiu-jitsu — being a role model and leader for the younger generation.”
Even after all her years of competing, though, Goodell says that F2W 100 will “definitely be different,” with both added pressure and support. “Competing in my hometown where I was born and raised makes me a little nervous and the win that much sweeter,” she says. “I’m glad that my three boys, my team, family, and friends will able to experience this with me first hand. Hearing that I had become main event felt like a lot more pressure. But I just kept focus and kept training hard with my team.”
Goodell’s challenges in the sport go beyond even the typical struggles it takes to succeed in jiu-jitsu thanks to her location and her role as a busy mom. “[Competitors in Hawaii] have to travel much farther and spend a lot more money to get to these competitions. But we have heart, and we train hard,” she says. “Having three amazing boys… taking care of them and training full time is the biggest competition of all. Some days I don’t know how I even do it, or when I got a full night’s rest, or had a minute to even breathe. But they’re worth it and my victories are that much sweeter knowing what I go through.”
Now, with F2W 100 just days away, Goodell has done all she can to prepare, and all that remains is to showcase the results of her hard work on the stage. “I’m honored to be a part of Fight 2 Win and to be the main event. Thank you to everyone for making it possible. I’m so excited for all of my teammates competing. I just want to say thank you to my boys who are there with me through it all, my family, friends, and fans. Most importantly my teammates and professors who are there grinding it out with me every day! Jordan [Gomez] for all your knowledge, amazing coaching, positivity and good vibes you always give off — not only to myself, but our team!”
Fight 2 Win 100 kicks off at Honolulu’s Hawaii Convention Center at 5 pm. As always, you can watch the action live on FloGrappling.
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