Craig Jones is one of the top no gi competitors on the planet right now, and he’s recently given his thoughts on the current state of gi competition. Of course Jones is a little biased in his assessment considering the fact that he competes exclusively in no gi tournaments and superfights, but he also echoes the sentiments of a lot of other high-level competitors. Jones was asked when he sat down for an interview with the Club Good podcast how he felt gi competition was holding up and he certainly didn’t hold back:
“It’s dead, for sure. It’s long dead.”
A lot of fans feel the same way too, and according to Jones the viewing numbers reflect that:
“I think… They told me at FloGrappling, I’m trying to think… like, the black belt Worlds’ final in the gi got less viewers than, like, the opening prelim of a WNO (Who’s Number One). No one cares any more.”
If what Jones is saying is true then that’s pretty shocking. BJJ was originally contested in the gi and some of the best grapplers in the sport start out training and competing in the gi, even Craig Jones himself did. Many of them even choose to remain solely competing in the gi and it would be a shame to see so many talented grapplers not get the attention that they deserve. As many competitors will tell you though, the sport has developed tremendously since it first began and no gi grappling is now the more popular version of the sport.
According to Jones, that problem has had other effects on the level of competition in the gi and the rewards that it’s top athletes receive as a result of their excellence:
“Yeah, the gi is dead… I mean just… It’s not even hard to win (an IBJJF World Championship in the gi) anymore. The problem is, like… At least five plus years ago, winning it was like: “Holy sh*t!” But now, no one gives a fu*k. I mean, it’s crazy; black belts world champions still can’t sell a seminar.”
The full interview with Craig Jones where he explains why he believes the gi is dying out has been uploaded to the official YouTube channel of the Club Good podcast:
