Helena Crevar Is the World's Best Female Grappler and Plans to Keep It That Way at The Inner Circle 22
Nineteen-year-old grappling prodigy Helena Crevar is back with a point to prove.
The top pound-for-pound women's grappler in the world returns for her second ONE Championship appearance against American compatriot Paige Ivette Clymer in a 10-minute openweight submission grappling contest at The Inner Circle 22 on Friday, July 17, streaming on live.onefc.com.
Six months after submitting Teshya Noelani Alo via Estima Lock in 100 seconds in her promotional debut, Crevar steps up against a bigger, stronger, and more physically imposing opponent who sees this match as the defining moment of her grappling career.
The teenager, who became the first woman awarded a black belt by legendary instructor John Danaher and one of the youngest IBJJF Black Belt World Champions ever, now faces the stiffest test of her young career.
Crevar Plans to Hunt a Submission From Any Position
There is no ambiguity about how Crevar intends to approach the 10-minute contest. The teenager has built her entire 355-7 career record on a submission-first philosophy, and nothing about facing a bigger opponent is changing that approach.
"It's always a submission from me. In any position we end up in, I'll try to get the submission and win that way. I'm going to keep looking to get my second submission at ONE," Crevar said.
Crevar's credentials are extraordinary for a teenager. She is the reigning 2025 IBJJF No-Gi World Champion. Her 355 career wins and submission-first approach have made her the most dominant female grappler of her generation, and the ONE Championship stage is where she intends to prove that dominance has no age limit.
Crevar Wants to Maintain Her Number One Pound-for-Pound Status
The ranking Crevar carries into The Inner Circle 22 is one she values deeply and is determined to protect. The 19-year-old has spoken candidly about what holding the top spot in women's pound-for-pound grappling means at this stage of her life and career.
"To be the youngest number one pound-for-pound female grappler right now is really big for me. I want to maintain that spot, and ONE Championship motivates me to get my name out there and prove that even at such a young age, I can be the best female grappler there is," she explained.
For Clymer, the stakes could not be clearer. A victory over the top-ranked pound-for-pound female grappler in her ONE Championship debut would immediately establish her as one of the most significant names in the women's submission grappling landscape.
Crevar Has ONE Championship Gold in Her Sights
The July 17 contest is not simply a standalone goal for Crevar. The teen star has been open about where her ambitions are pointing beyond the Clymer match, and a ONE Championship World Title belt is the destination she is building toward with every appearance.
"I still definitely want that opportunity for a title. We'll see after this match and talk about whether I'll have an opportunity to go for the ONE Title, or maybe do one more match and then a title after that. But that is definitely the goal: to get the title at ONE," she said.
A dominant submission of Clymer on July 17 would make the conversation around a title shot significantly harder for ONE Championship to ignore.
Watch The Inner Circle 22 exclusively on live.onefc.com beginning at 7:30 a.m. ET/4:30 a.m. PT.
