Craig Jones Launches $2M CJI Tournament to Challenge ADCC

Craig Jones, a prominent martial artist and submission grappler, is launching the CJI tournament, a grappling event with over $2 million in prize money. Known for his blend of humor, controversy, and dedication to growing the sport, Jones aims to challenge traditional grappling tournament models, particularly the ADCC, by increasing athlete pay and making the sport more accessible.

The CJI Tournament: A Bold Initiative

The CJI tournament is scheduled for August 16th and 17th, coinciding with the prestigious ADCC tournament. It features two divisions and two super fights, with the winner of each division receiving $1 million. Every participant is guaranteed $10,000 for competing. This initiative directly addresses Jones's frustration with the compensation model in submission grappling, where he argues athlete pay has not kept pace with the sport's growth in audience and revenue. He highlighted that even reaching the finals in ADCC only yields $6,000, with no pay for first-day losses, often relying on "exposure" as compensation.

The idea for CJI originated from a challenge by an ADCC promoter who, in response to Jones's criticism, dared him to organize his own tournament with a $2 million budget. An anonymous friend provided a $3 million budget, enabling Jones to realize his vision. The tournament will be held at the Thomas & Mack Event Center, ADCC's former venue, which became available on the same weekend.

A key aspect of CJI's strategy is free online streaming on platforms like Meta, X, and YouTube, making the event globally accessible without a paywall. This contrasts with ADCC's paid streaming model. Jones believes that free access will significantly contribute to growing the sport, similar to how comedians release specials for free to expand their audience. The only paywalled aspect of CJI will be Jones's OnlyFans channel, which he jokingly suggests could fund the entire tournament.

Impact on the Grappling World

The CJI tournament has already influenced the grappling community. Jones claims that ADCC, in response to CJI, increased the prize money for its women's division to match the men's, a move he attributes to his "feminist activist" efforts. He also alleges that ADCC began offering "show money" to athletes to prevent them from joining CJI, a practice not historically common for ADCC.

Jones acknowledges that some athletes, particularly those with managers, might be incentivized to stay with ADCC due to these alleged payments. However, CJI offers a flat $10,001 to all competitors, plus the chance to win $1 million, with no room for negotiation.

The simultaneous scheduling of CJI and ADCC creates a unique situation. While seemingly direct competition, Jones notes that CJI's main events are on Friday and Saturday, while ADCC's are on Saturday and Sunday, allowing fans to potentially watch both. He views this as a "marketing ploy" to encourage engagement with both events and celebrate the athletes.

The "Alley" and Rule Set

CJI will feature an innovative "alley" combat area with angled walls, inspired by karate combat. This design aims to minimize referee interference and eliminate the issue of athletes playing the edge of the mat. The angled walls create a disadvantage for those pushed against them, encouraging more dynamic action.

The tournament will incorporate rounds: qualifying rounds consist of three five-minute rounds, and the final will be five five-minute rounds. This format is designed to incentivize continuous action and finishes, rather than athletes holding positions to win on points. CJI will adopt an MMA-style scoring system, which Jones believes will be more understandable and appealing to a broader audience. Jones predicts that CJI will see many athletes refusing to tap, leading to injuries, and that the event will encourage aggressive, exciting performances through social media glory and strict stalling penalties.

Craig Jones vs. Gabi Garcia Super Fight

A highly anticipated super fight at CJI will feature Craig Jones against Gabi Garcia, a legendary figure in women's grappling. Jones, significantly smaller than Garcia, views this as a challenge to prove his skills against a formidable opponent. He has even proposed a unique wager: if Garcia wins, he will personally give her $1 million; if he can foot lock her, they will collaborate on an OnlyFans sex tape. Garcia has reportedly agreed to this wager.

Journey to Ukraine

Jones recently traveled to Ukraine twice, including visits to the front lines and Chernobyl. His initial trip was prompted by difficulties filming in Kazakhstan. He decided to go to Ukraine to host a charity jiu-jitsu seminar, which became the largest in Ukrainian history, raising funds for soldiers.

During his first trip, he experienced constant air raid threats in Kyiv and witnessed a hypersonic missile being shot down near his hotel. He even collected a piece of the missile as a souvenir. He also visited Chernobyl, describing it as a "very, very strange place" under wartime conditions, now heavily mined.

His second trip, just weeks before the interview, took him to more dangerous locations, including Odessa and Kherson. In Kherson, he experienced close calls with artillery strikes, coming within half a kilometer of a blast that resulted in fatalities and injuries. He noted the resilience of the Ukrainian people, particularly the elderly who refuse to leave their homes despite the danger.

Jones observed the widespread use of cheap, consumer-level FPV drones in the conflict, weaponized to destroy expensive military equipment. He highlighted the psychological impact of these drones, which can pursue targets into buildings, creating a constant sense of vulnerability.

He noted the morale of Ukrainian soldiers, who, despite battle fatigue, remain optimistic and determined. He also observed that many soldiers use their own funds or seek donations for better equipment, leading to a "social media warfare" where they gain fame to secure funding for their battalions.

Jones reflected on how his experiences in Ukraine changed him, realizing that many soldiers are everyday people thrust into extraordinary circumstances. He emphasized the strong sense of obligation they feel to protect their families and land, a perspective profoundly different from his own experiences in Australia or the US.

Personal Philosophy and Trolling

Jones is known for his provocative humor and online trolling, often directed at other grapplers. He believes that underneath his trolling lies a genuine respect for the individuals he targets. He sees his approach as a way to engage with the community and promote the sport, even if it involves controversy. He attributes his trolling prowess to his Australian upbringing, where "ruining each other's day" with insults is commonplace. He expressed no regret for his past trolling, viewing it as a form of "balance" and "justice."

He draws inspiration from figures like Anthony Bourdain, admiring his authentic approach to travel and his ability to honestly portray both the good and bad aspects of a place. Jones strives for similar authenticity in his own travel series, "Craig Jones Gone Walkabout," which aims to highlight the diverse and interesting people within the jiu-jitsu community worldwide.

Relationship with Other Grapplers

Jones discussed his competitive history with Nicholas Meregali, a rival grappler. Their history includes a gi match where Meregali defeated him, and later at ADCC where Jones won a close decision. He believes he has gotten into Meregali's head and would require a significant sum, around half a million dollars, to face him again in competition. He stated that he now rarely trains and is busy promoting, and would only consider another match with Meregali if the financial incentive was substantial. He believes Meregali takes himself too seriously and that giving him the opportunity to claim a win would be costly. Jones feels he is "in Meregali's head" and believes he could beat anyone in the world in a five-minute match, including Meregali and Gabi Garcia. He expressed openness to rematches with Gabi and even an MMA fight, stating he wouldn't be afraid to hit a big woman.

He also touched upon his relationship with Gordon Ryan, another prominent grappler, humorously suggesting that MDMA or ketamine therapy might help resolve their issues. He believes a debate with Ryan, perhaps with Jones representing Kamala Harris and Ryan representing Donald Trump, would be an "intellectual battle." Jones clarified that he only targets individuals "worthy of being attacked," those with a large enough profile to make the banter meaningful. He considers Renato Laranja the biggest troll in martial arts, with Chael Sonnen also being highly skilled, though Sonnen has higher stakes in MMA.

ADCC and Athlete Compensation

Jones described his relationship with Mo, the ADCC organizer, as a "love/hate relationship." He believes their friendship soured when his public criticism of athlete compensation was taken personally by Mo, who now controls ADCC. Jones clarified that CJI was a direct response to this discussion.

He revealed that he and Mo were close friends, with Mo being instrumental in the Danaher Death Squad's move to Puerto Rico. However, Jones's advocacy for increased athlete pay, especially in light of rising venue costs (e.g., Thomas & Mack at $200,000 and T-Mobile at $2 million), created a conflict. Jones believes that while Mo might genuinely think his decisions grow the sport, he disagrees with the approach. He advocates for cheaper venues, high-quality production, and free streaming to maximize growth, rather than paywalls.

Jones expressed a desire for a public debate with Mo to address these issues transparently, believing fans deserve to know the reasoning behind decisions. He stated that CJI, being a non-profit, will be transparent about its finances and viewership numbers, aiming to empower athletes with data for sponsorship negotiations.

He criticized the IOC for the Olympics' lack of transparency and paywalling, arguing that major sporting events should be openly accessible to everyone. Jones's decision to stream CJI on YouTube and X for free is driven by the goal of growing the sport by removing financial barriers for casual viewers. He aims to put power back into the athletes' hands by providing them with viewership metrics.

Training Philosophy and Future of Jiu-Jitsu

Jones described the psychological toll of preparing for major events, citing stress, sickness, and injury concerns. He noted that some of his best performances occurred when he was called up last minute or had a disrupted camp, leading to a more relaxed mindset. He prefers to "wing it" rather than endure intense, long-term training camps.

He emphasized that his game is fundamentally technique-based, not reliant on cardio. He jokingly admitted to being "lazy" and using this as a psychological tactic against opponents. He believes being psychologically relaxed and not feeling excessive pressure is crucial for his performance.

Jones discussed the importance of varied training, noting that while hard rounds are necessary, the approach should differ based on an athlete's career stage and individual needs. For hobbyists, Jones advised focusing on minimizing injury by relaxing, understanding positions, and choosing training partners wisely. He stressed the importance of longevity in training and avoiding explosive movements that can lead to injury. He believes that remaining calm in bad positions is a key skill, demonstrating confidence in one's ability to escape.

Jones attributed his innovative game to financial motivation (selling instructionals) and a desire to keep jiu-jitsu interesting. He enjoys finding creative and unexpected ways to beat opponents, which he finds fulfilling. He acknowledged popularizing certain techniques like leg entries and Octopus guard, rather than inventing them.

He shared his thoughts on Mark Zuckerberg's jiu-jitsu training, noting his dedication and potential to compete. Jones also discussed his relationship with UFC fighter Alexander Volkanovski, highlighting Volkanovski's humble beginnings, incredible work ethic, and mental fortitude, especially during weight cuts. He sees Volkanovski as his "complete opposite" in terms of training intensity.

Jones believes the future of jiu-jitsu will involve continued innovation and the integration of wrestling, particularly folkstyle, with submissions. He envisions a sport where athletes actively engage on their feet and fight for dominant positions. Regarding steroid use, Jones jokingly stated that anyone who has beaten him was on more steroids, and believes it's difficult to ascertain who is using performance-enhancing drugs without testing.

Finally, Jones reflected on his experience putting Alex Jones to sleep during a demonstration, finding humor in the situation despite initial concern. He shared his own experience of briefly going unconscious during training, describing it as disorienting rather than pleasant.

When asked what gives him hope about humanity, Jones responded that "you can still make fun of anything as long as it's funny," advocating for humor against "cancel culture."