The Jiu-Jitsu world is about to see a significant shift with the introduction of the Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) Grappling Tournament! The Australian grappling ace, known for being a two-time silver medal winner at the prestigious ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) tournaments, recently shocked the grappling world when he announced that he would not be competing in the 2024 ADCC event.

In his appearance on the JRE (Joe Rogan Experience) MMA Show no. 157, he unveiled the motivations and goals behind his new tournament. Jones revealed that while still aiming to be a high-stakes alternative to the ADCC, the CJI will also be working towards securing funding for charitable causes to help underprivileged children, and growing the sport of Jiu-Jitsu.

Craig Jones reveals the charitable goals behind CJI and being an alternative to ADCC

During his conversation with Joe Rogan, the Australian grappling wiz explained his vision for the CJI by stating, “You know the argument is prestige versus prize money, and my argument is if the prize money is there, that becomes the most prestigious event.”  According to information available on the prize pools for ADCC, the total prize money for the entire tournament is an estimated $230,600 which is dwarfed when compared to the CJI offering a million dollars to its winners! 

Rogan, intrigued by the concept, then asked if the CJI would be a recurring event, to which Jones responded by revealing, “Yeah, we want to do it every year, most of the guys have to wait every two years for ADCC, and we want to provide an opportunity every year.”

However, Jones emphasized that his intention is not to undermine the ADCC but rather, “The goal is really to raise money for charities and support some film projects around the world, using jiu-jitsu to help out underprivileged kids.”

According to Jones, the CJI’s nonprofit model aims to benefit the broader community while enhancing the sport and leveraging Jiu-Jitsu’s popularity to bring about a positive change in the world outside of the confines of the mats and gym. Jones’s bold move has already garnered attention from top competitors in the Jiu-Jitsu world as elite athletes like Nicky Ryan, Mason Fowler, and Nicky Rodriguez have also committed to participating in the CJI, leaving the ADCC for the new tournament!

However, Gordon Ryan, a 5-time ADCC champion, has yet to join other major names in the sport to jump ship to CJI as he has stated, “You win ADCC because it is the absolute pinnacle of the sport. Winning ADCC cements your name in history.” And with a history of friction with  Jones, it seems unlikely that the allure of the million dollars could sway Ryan to the CJI banner, but it remains to be seen how things unfold in the future.

Nevertheless, with top talent and a substantial prize pool, the CJI is poised to capture the attention of jiu-jitsu fans worldwide as during his JRE appearance, Craig Jones left Joe Rogan speechless when he dropped the entire prize money on the host’s desk as proof of his commitment to the venture!

Jones blows Joe Rogan’s mind by showing him “a million dollars“

While Craig Jones has yet to reveal the source of the funding for the massive undertaking that is the CJI, he did shock Joe Rogan when he provided a jaw-dropping display of his funding as proof of the legitimacy of the competition.

Jones dumped $1 million in cash on Joe Rogan’s desk, leaving the UFC color commentator astonished as he exclaimed, “I’ve never seen a million dollars in one place! I’ve never even seen a million-dollar check.”

As the Jiu-Jitsu world prepares for the CJI, all eyes will be on this innovative event scheduled to take place on August 16 and 17 and if successful, it could inspire further changes in the sport, encouraging other organizers to enhance athlete compensation and competition quality.

What are your thoughts on the CJI going head-to-head against the ADCC this year? And will Craig Jones’s venture mark the beginning of a new era in competitive BJJ? Share your thoughts in the comments below!