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.
Inacio Santos has just become the latest man to leave ADCC 2024 in order to enter the over 80kg division at the Craig Jones Invitational. Santos is one of the top competitors in the heavier weight classes and he’s a frequent face on the podium of IBJJF events all around the USA. Although he’s had most of his high-level experience on the IBJJF mats, he earned the biggest title of his career earlier this year under ADCC rules instead. Santos stood on top of a major podium for the first time when he beat 5 elite grapplers in order to win the under 99kg division of the first ADCC South American Trials.
This is what earned him his invite to ADCC 2024 and although he might not have been considered the favorite to win the division, he was going to be a tough opponent for anyone and he definitely has the ability to go far in the bracket. Inacio Santos will be taking that same skill level over to the over 80kg division of the Craig Jones Invitational and although the lineup is looking incredible already, Santos will still be one to watch as the bracket unfolds.
Although Santos might not be as well-known as some of the other big names competing at CJI like Nicky Rodriguez and others, he will likely be leaving the event with a lot more fans than he came with. He also represents a fresh challenge for some of the more experienced competitors like Rodriguez or Victor Hugo, and it’ll be interesting to see how they deal with him. His absence is also another blow to ADCC, as they are now missing multiple ADCC Trials winners and former medalists from the lineup this year.
The Craig Jones Invitational announced the news that Inacio Santos was leaving ADCC 2024 to compete in their tournament in a recent post to their official Instagram account:
