This article is part of our Craig Jones Invitational 2024 coverage. To get live results, play by play, and commentary, we’ll have a live updates article running all weekend.
The Craig Jones Invitational is scheduled for August 16th and 17th, 2024 and we’re regularly updating the full competitor list as and when athletes are announced. The tournament was created by one of the most popular elite grappler’s in the world, Craig Jones, and he didn’t start off small for his first foray into the promotional side of the BJJ world. Jones immediately set about securing the highest prize in the history of the sport for his first tournament and not only will every athlete receive $10,000 just to compete, but the winners of both divisions will receive $1,000,000 in prize money as well.
Creating the highest paying tournament in BJJ history immediately set the Craig Jones Invitational up as a major competitor to ADCC for the status of most prestigious no gi grappling tournament in the world. Jones wasn’t content with that alone though, and he actually decided to stage his first event in the same city and over the same weekend as ADCC 2024. This has presented elite grapplers around the world with an incredibly tough proposition, as they will need to choose between the two tournaments. Many competitors had already accepted invites to ADCC 2024 at this point and have actually withdrawn from that in order to enter CJI instead.
The event will take place in a pit-style arena with slanted walls to help force engagement, and there’s an incredible $50,000 bonus available for the best submission of the event. Both of these aspects will help to generate more action and there’s plenty of exciting grapplers who have joined the competitor list for the Craig Jones Invitational. This means that there should be some fantastic moments to look forward to once everyone take to the mats and it should come as no surprise that the tickets have been selling out fast ever since they were first released.
Craig Jones Invitational Updated Competitor List
Click here to see our full preview of the under 80kg division.
Click here to see our full preview of the over 80kg division.
Under 80kg Division
Over 80kg Division
Craig Jones Invitational Superfights Competitor List
The first announcements for the Craig Jones Invitational only detailed two weight classes for the tournament at under and over 80kg, but since the competitor list has started to be confirmed it’s been revealed that superfights will take place too. Ffion Davies was the first female grappler who announced that she would enter CJI and the two divisions were only for male competitors, she revealed that she would be facing a single opponent instead. It’s unclear exactly how many superfights will be scheduled for the event, but we’ll be updating this list with them as and when they are announced.
Superfights
Craig Jones vs Gabi Garcia
