Craig Jones unpacks huge aspirations for CJI tournament ahead of the second-edition of the tournament: “Super Bowl of grappling"

By Liam Fresen

Modified Apr 12, 2025 10:42 GMT

Craig Jones (left) shares major aspirations for the Craig Jones Invitational (right) and its growth in grappling [Images courtesy: @craigjonesbjj and @cjiofficial on Instagram]

The Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) took the world of grappling by storm in 2024. The tournament, founded by Jones, saw a seismic shift in the way fans and Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) athletes viewed grappling competitions. The first edition of the CJI went head-to-head with the world's most prestigious grappling event, the Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) World Championships.

The CJI had overwhelming success in its first edition, so much so that Jones will be hosting CJI 2 in August 2025. With several months until the tournament, the Australian has opened up on his dreams for the growth of the CJI format.

He joined his older brother, Adam Jones, for an episode of A Quick Razz, a podcast started by the elder-Jones. During the podcast, the BJJ athlete said this about the CJI:

"Going into CJI 2, I have more leverage. I don't have anything to sell... We've built a brand that is so strong that people are going to tune in no matter what. Get on board or get the f**k out the way... What we're trying to do is be the Super Bowl of grappling. The Super Bowl in the sense that we don't run the NFL during the year. We just have a Super Bowl-level event... We're trying to capture the glory days of when K-1 and PRIDE would put on a joint event."

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Catch Craig Jones discussing his hopes for the CJI below (10:50):

First two teams to compete at the Craig Jones Invitational 2 confirmed

The Craig Jones Invitational 2 has been confirmed for August 2025. With the 2024 edition of the CJI featuring individual athletes in two weight classes battling it out for a prize of $1 million, CJI 2 will see teams of 5 go to war for the chance to claim $1 million.

The first two teams to officially be confirmed to participate at CJI 2 are the New Wave Jiu Jitsu team and Team Australasia. The team lists have been released, with New Wave and the team from 'Down Under' featuring some of the world's best grapplers.

Former ADCC winner Giancarlo Bodoni will feature for New Wave, alongside Jones' former teammate, Dorian Olivarez. They will be joined by the gigantic Dan Manasoiu and South African Luke Griffith.

The Australasian team will feature finalist from CJI 1, Levi Jones-Leary, and Lucas Kanard. The three remaining slots are yet to be confirmed.

Check out the team announcements for the Craig Jones Invitational 2 below:

About the author

Liam is a MMA and Boxing writer at Sportskeeda. His journey into MMA journalism began with a high school diploma in 2017, but his passion for writing led him to diverse experiences, including internships in research and writing roles and accounting work.

Liam's fascination with MMA was sparked by Conor McGregor, with Dustin Poirier's bout against Dan Hooker in 2020 sealing his love for the sport. Poirier remains Liam's favorite fighter, whom he admires for his attitude, fighting style, and persona both inside and outside the cage. He is an advocate for the removal of the 12-6 elbow rule in MMA.

Liam strives to report precise and relevant information by cross-checking his work, reaching out to relevant sources for comments, and adhering to Sportskeeda's guidelines. His work has been recognized on popular MMA platforms, with his article headlines featuring in YouTube recaps and appearing onscreen during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience.

Outside of work, Liam enjoys playing cricket, practising Brazilian jiu-jitsu, cooking, music, and reading.

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Edited by C. Naik