The Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) is an international submission grappling tournament organized by Craig Jones.
The inaugural tournament was held August 16–17, 2024 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada in the United States.BJJ stars leave ADCC 2024 for $1M CJI prize MMA Uncensored, Anton Tabuena, May 30, 2024 The event was streamed live on YouTube for free. Craig Jones defeated Gabi Garcia in an intergender superfight, Nick Rodriguez won the 80kg+ division tournament, and Kade Ruotolo won the −80kg division tournament. The tournament winners in each weight division received $1 million prize money.
The Craig Jones Invitational 2 (CJI 2) was held August 30–31, 2025, returning to the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. CJI 2 featured a $1 million team-based grappling tournament won by The B-Team, an openweight $100,000 women's tournament won by Helena Crevar, and a non-tournament superfight which saw Craig Jones defeat Chael Sonnen. The B-Team and Team New Wave initially fought to a draw in the team tournament final before The B-Team were declared the winners by decision; after controversy over the decision, both teams were to be awarded $1 million but Team New Wave were ultimately not given the prize money.
2024 Background Craig Jones from B-Team Jiu-Jitsu is a two-time ADCC silver medalist. Disappointed with athlete pay at ADCC, he decided to host a tournament in which all invited athletes receive a higher minimum payout ($10,001) than the male winner of ADCC ($10,000). Jiu Jitsu Fighters Are Grappling With Exploitation Jacobin, Jack Bedrosian, June 2024
The two men's divisions scheduled for the 2024 tournament were under 80kg and over 80kg, and the winner of each bracket was to be awarded $1 million. Each men's division bracket had 16 competitors. Each participant received $10,001 for competing.
On JRE MMA Show No. 157, an episode of Joe Rogan's podcast, Jones brought $1 million in cash to promote the tournament.
A best submission bonus of $50,000 was announced.
The dates and location were selected to overlap with ADCC 2024, which was held August 17–18, 2024 in Las Vegas.
Separate from the men's divisions, Craig Jones was scheduled to face Gabi Garcia in an intergender superfight, and Ffion Davies was scheduled to fight Mackenzie Dern in the women's superfight. UFC star Mackenzie Dern ‘couldn’t say no’ to Craig Jones Invitational paycheck MMA Mania, Alexander Behunin, August 11, 2024 A superfight with Mikey Musumeci was also announced, but ultimately did not occur due to a lack of a contractual agreement with Musumeci's planned opponent. Mason Fowler was scheduled to fight in the over 80kg bracket but later withdrew from the competition due to injury.
Results Over 80kg tournament
First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Final Winner Nick Rodriguez Nick Rodriguez Nick Rodriguez Nick Rodriguez Nick Rodriguez Max Gimenis Owen Livesey Owen Livesey Mahamed Aly Adam Bradley Adam Bradley Adam Bradley Kyle Boehm Luke Rockhold Pat Downey Pat Downey Victor Hugo Lucas Kanard Inacio Santos Fellipe Andrew Lucas Kanard Inacio Santos Inacio Santos Pedro Alex Daniel Greg Kerkvliet Fellipe Andrew Fellipe Andrew Fellipe Andrew Joao Gabriel Rocha Joao Gabriel Rocha William Tackett
Under 80kg tournament
First Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Final Winner Tye Ruotolo Tye Ruotolo Levi Jones-Leary Levi Jones-Leary Kade Ruotolo Jason Nolf Roberto Jimenez Levi Jones-Leary Levi Jones-Leary Lucas ‘Hulk’ Barbosa Lucas ‘Hulk’ Barbosa Lucas ‘Hulk’ Barbosa Kenta Iwamoto Jozef Chen Jozef Chen Andy Varela Kade Ruotolo Kade Ruotolo Kade Ruotolo Kade Ruotolo Matheus Diniz Renato Canuto Tommy Langaker Tommy Langaker Magid Hage Eoghan O’Flanagan Andrew Tackett Eoghan O’Flanagan Andrew Tackett Andrew Tackett Nicky Ryan
Superfights Ffion Davies def. Mackenzie Dern Craig Jones def. Gabi Garcia
Reception The event raised $500,000 for Tap Cancer Out charity. The event's free YouTube stream was seen by over 100,000 concurrent viewers on both days of competition.
The Craig Jones Invitational won both the Promotion of the Year and Fight Card of the Year awards at the 2024 Jits Magazine BJJ Awards. Kade Ruotolo vs. Andrew Tackett from the event's −80kg tournament won Jits Magazine's Match of the Year award.
2025 Background On December 8, 2024, Craig Jones announced a second Craig Jones Invitational tournament to be held in August 2025, with the 2025 tournament adopting a Quintet-inspired team format. The event streamed live for free on the FloGrappling YouTube channel.
The Craig Jones Invitational 2 (CJI 2) was held August 30-31, 2025 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. CJI 2 was a two-day event, featuring an eight team tournament, an openweight women's tournament, and a superfight between Jones and Chael Sonnen (replacing an injured Gable Steveson). A total of 46 athletes were scheduled to compete at the event.
Teams in the $1 million team-based grappling tournament consisted of five grapplers, each representing a different weight class. Eight teams of five athletes competed; participating teams were: Team 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu, The B-Team, Team New Wave, Team Atos, Team Europe, Team Pedigo Submission Fighting, Team Americas, and Team Australasia.
The $100,000 four-woman tournament featured: Helena Crevar (Polaris and WNO Champion), Adele Fornarino (2024 ADCC double gold medalist), Ana Vieira (2024 ADCC Champion, 6x IBJJF World Champ), and Sarah Galvão (2025 IBJJF Grand Slam Winner).
Gable Steveson later claimed that he withdrew from the event not because of an injury but rather because Jones asked him to throw their superfight. Jones denied Steveson's claims, with Jones alleging that Steveson's withdrawal was orchestrated by the UFC as an attempt to interfere with CJI2.
Teams Coaches
Team New Wave: John Danaher Team Americas: Greg Souders Team Atos: André Galvão Team Europe: Faris Benlamkadem The B-Team: Nicky Ryan Team Pedigo Submission Fighting: Heath Pedigo Team 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu: Eddie Bravo Team Australasia: Lachlan Giles
Athletes
Team New Wave Dorian Olivarez Micael Galvão Vagner Rocha Giancarlo Bodoni Luke Griffith
Team Americas Gavin Corbe Deandre Corbe Elijah Dorsey Taylor Pearman Pat Downey
Team Atos Diego ‘Pato’ Oliveira Ronaldo Junior Lucas ‘Hulk’ Barbosa Kaynan Duarte Felipe Pena
Team Europe Owen Jones Pawel Jaworski Paul Ardila Charles Negromonte Marcin Maciulewicz
The B-Team Ethan Crelinsten Jozef Chen Chris Wojcik Nick Rodriguez Victor Hugo
Team Pedigo Submission Fighting Max Hanson Dante Leon Jacob Couch Michael Pixley Brandon Reed
Team 10th Planet Jiu Jitsu Geo Martinez Alan Sanchez PJ Barch Ryan Aitken Kyle Boehm
Team Australasia Fabricio Andrey Kenta Iwamoto Lucas Kanard Declan Moody Belal Etiabari
Results
Team tournament
Women's tournament
Superfight Craig Jones def. Chael Sonnen
Reception Night 1 of the event was criticized for a lack of action, with UFC BJJ athlete Mikey Musumeci dubbing the event's team format "boring".
The Craig Jones Invitational 2 itself won the Fight Card of the Year award at the 2025 Jits Magazine BJJ Awards, while Sarah Galvão vs. Ana Vieira from the event's openweight women's tournament won Jits Magazine's Match of the Year award.
References
External links