![Craig Jones (middle left and far right) collaborating with Marlon Vera (far left and middle right) is a massive hit with fans [Images courtesy: @craigjonesbjj and @gucciesmoothie on Instagram]](https://staticg.sportskeeda.com/editor/2025/03/0cb7f-17420432896336-1920.jpg)
Craig Jones is one of the most hilarious characters in combat sports. Since the submission grappler began working with Alexander Volkanovski in 2021, Jones has slowly started collaborating with other MMA fighters. He has struck a friendship with former UFC middleweight champion Luke Rockhold and has also trained alongside Israel Adesanya and several others.
But recently, Jones linked up with a close friend of Rockhold's, current UFC bantamweight contender Marlon 'Chito' Vera. The former title challenger himself has grown into one of the division's most popular fighters, and his recent collaboration with Jones was a massive hit amongst fans.
Vera has a known interest in the world of fashion and was recently captured at Paris Fashion Week, where he modeled on the runway for designer Willy Chavarria.
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Jones began working with Australian clothing brand Street X in 2024, and his recent get-together with Vera was to model some of the brand's clothing. The submission grappler took to Instagram and wrote this:
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"Dos latina queens."
Catch Craig Jones' post with Marlon Vera below:
Fans took to the comment section to share their excitement at the collaboration, writing this:
"Dream blunt rotation"
"Not the duo I expected but the duo I needed"
Gordon Ryan confirms he won't compete at the Craig Jones Invitational 2
The Craig Jones Invitational (CJI), founded by his namesake, took the grappling world by storm in 2024. The CJI took place on the same dates as the prestigious Abut Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) World Championships, which resulted in several of the biggest names in Brazilian jiu-jitsu leaving ADCC for CJI.
The main reason for them jumping ship was the mammoth $1 million prize money for winning CJI. Jones recently confirmed that CJI 2 will take place in 2025, and will feature a team vs. team format instead of individual athletes competing against each other for $1 million.
The first team to officially be listed for CJI 2 is New Wave Jiu-Jitsu, a team headed by Jones' arch-rival, Gordon Ryan. Following confirmation that New Wave Jiu-Jitsu would compete at CJI 2, speculation surrounding Ryan's participation arose.
But 'The King' has now shared a statement, writing this on Instagram:
"Let's set the record straight... Our team was invited to CJI 2, where I would be making less to win than I do to even show at other events. Moreover, if the prize was [$10 billion], on principle I'd rather take a shotgun blast to the face than compete.."
Catch Gordon Ryan's statement on the Craig Jones Invitational 2 below:
