The second ever John Wick Invitational has just taken place and the promotion behind it, Pit Boss Grappling, has created something equal parts insane and genius with this event. They’ve chosen the name for a very good reason, as they’ve made a huge effort to replicate some of the wildest action sequences from one of the most popular franchises to emerge in recent years. It all started with the idea of grappling in suits and although this has been done before in the training room in short YouTube videos, Pit Boss Grappling were the first to actually stage proper matches in the pit and between competitors in suits.
Those first matches must have combined one of the most popular revolutions in professional grappling and the most unique approach to grappling since Car Jitsu, and they were a big success. Although it was obviously inspired by the popular Keanu Reeves films right from the start, they’ve taken things a big step closer to the source material recently. PBG introduced the idea of using weapons in a Jiu-Jitsu match too and in perfect John Wick-style, every match will have either a prop knife or a prop gun available to use once it reaches a certain point.
When there’s 90 seconds left in a match, a coin will be tossed to determine whether a knife or a gun will be available, and it’s then thrown into the pit. Competitors then have the option of running for the weapon and using it to finish the fight, either mimicking stabbing an opponent or firing a shot at them. Not only does this give the grapplers another way of winning the match rather than having to rely on a referee or judge’s decision, but it also immediately creates some wild exchanges when both of them scramble to reach the weapon first.
It’s not as simple as diving on the weapon though, as multiple matches at this latest John Wick Invitational were actually won by the person who didn’t reach for it first. Making a run for the weapon generally involves turning away from your opponent and giving them sight of your back. This event showed that although the knife is obviously a big advantage, being in a defensive position limits your ability to use it and you’ll likely get it taken off you. The gun is obviously far more advantageous but even then, one competitor actually got his back taken while scrambling for it and ended up being submitted the old-fashioned way instead.
Grappling in suits with weapons is obviously never going to take over as the main ruleset in Jiu-Jitsu, but Car Jitsu has already shown that there’s plenty of room for unique and interesting ideas. It definitely makes for entertaining viewing and although the crowds are small at the moment, it’s easy to see this becoming a pretty popular event. Judging from the crowd-reaction, the fans in attendance are having plenty of fun watching it live and the production will only get better as time goes on. It wouldn’t be surprising to see some more well-known competitors eventually making their debut if things keep going this well.
The full replay of the second John Wick Invitational was uploaded to the official YouTube channel of Pit Boss Grappling:
