Jason Nolf is making his own destiny. While most of his buddies are gearing up for the big rumble in Paris, the ex-Penn State star has set his gaze upon a different kind of prize. August’s Craig Jones Invitational will be one of the most electrifying BJJ events of the year, and the three-time NCAA champ is eying to take home $1 million from the tournament. For obvious reasons, he’s not running short on support.

Beating Andrew Simmons at the Paradigm Open in his MMA debut, Nolf stunned the world with his prowess inside the octagon. Naturally, this victory has boosted the former NLWC star’s hopes of excelling at this year’s CJI, and many of his old colleagues have expressed confidence in Nolf’s abilities.

When it came to light last month that Jason would be participating in the “Highest paying cash prize in history of grappling!” many were surprised to see the new direction he was taking. However, with the emphatic victory in his first MMA bout, he’s found more and more fans to rally behind him. The latest name to sign up for Camp Nolf looks to be Aaron Brooks, another Penn State celebrity and four-time NCAA champ. In a post on Instagram from earlier today, Nolf shared an image as he prepared for the CJI, and Brooks couldn’t help but express his awe.

In the comment section of Nolf’s post, Olympian Brooks posted two flexing muscle emojis, highlighting how impressive Nolf looks in terms of being in shape. Brooks’ comment might also be referring to the fact that Nolf’s training center seems to breed champions. From the background in Jason’s photo, it appears he’s back at Penn State to train, and Aaron could be underscoring his confidence in the results of Nolf’s rigorous training.

For a long time, Nolf has talked about his wishes to make his own mark out of Penn State’s shadow. While the country’s top wrestling program and the guidance of iconic coach Cael Sanderson brought uncharted fame his way, the 2024 Zagreb Open gold medalist seems to be slowly finding his footing in MMA and BJJ as well. And fans are as excited to see how things unfold in the coming days.

More fans express their exuberance to see Jason Nolf’s next takedown

After Nolf posted his latest image, his followers have come forward in numbers with their supportive words to help him keep his head in the game for the August event. With the CJI being one of the highest-paying contact sports tournaments in the world, one fan sarcastically noted how the pressure should be felt by Jason. “No worries – just $1M on the line,” commented podcaster Igor, indirectly noting that the two-time Big Ten gold medalist shouldn’t leave any stone unturned to bah his first major BJJ milestone.

“Lookin fresh my dude,” commented Kody, turning his gaze to the LXB outfit that Jason is seen wearing in the IG post. The apparel brand makes a wide variety of clothing options for athletes and announced Nolf as one of their roster members just three days ago. With his new sponsors in his corner, Nolf could make the best of the opportunity, and this fan believes the wrestling star is looking to be on top of his game.

In early June, Nolf revealed to fellow Penn State alum and MMA sensation Bo Nickal how he’s looking forward to exploring the pastures of jiu-jitsu as the next chapter of his career. With his first MMA victory already in the bag, it looks like Nolf is already shaking up the community and is making it evident that the fans can see him as one of the top contenders of the sport. Referring to that sentiment, Luis commented, “Stoked to see you competing in CJI Jason, big fan from the jiu jitsu community.”

“I can’t wait for this!” commented Erin as he seemed as feverish to see Jason at the CJI. Nolf will be colliding against the likes of Andrew Tackett, Lucas Barbosa, Andy Varela, Roberto Jimenez, and Tye Ruotolo at the event, all of who could prove to be formidable opponents, and this fan’s excitement is a common tune that rings across the fraternity.

Are you also thrilled to see how Nolf’s next tournament will go down? Tell us your pick in CJI’s Under 80kg weight class in the comments below.