Now that the mud has settled, these are seven large takeaways from the inaugural CJI, which came about on August 16-17 in Las Vegas.
Simply a number of brief months in the past, the Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) wasn’t even an thought. However what first appeared like a joke from event organizer Craig Jones has now taken the BJJ and grappling world by storm, representing a landmark second within the sport.
With the first-ever CJI now within the rearview mirror, two males are freshly minted millionaires and the BJJ group is buzzing with pleasure like by no means earlier than. These are seven key takeaways from a wild weekend of grappling in Las Vegas.
1- CJI gained the weekend
Whereas ADCC 2024 had its share of spectacular performances and dramatic moments – together with Adele Fornarino’s sensational double-gold run, Michael Pixley’s upset win over Nicholas Meregali, and Dante Leon’s highlight-reel submission of Mica Galvao – it’s clear that CJI gained the battle of occasions.
Watching the 2 occasions side-by-side, the distinction in ambiance couldn’t be extra stark. CJI packed the home on the Thomas & Mack Middle with a raucous and rowdy crowd that commonly burst into spontaneous chants and erupted throughout the occasion’s most pivotal moments. ADCC, with its a number of matches occurring concurrently and scattered crowd on the T-Mobil Enviornment, appeared tame and even subdued compared. That distinction was maybe the obvious throughout Gordon Ryan’s pair of prolonged and uneventful superfights, neither of which delivered the heart-pounding motion discovered at CJI.
Along with fan-friendly expertise and a ruleset that promotes motion, CJI produced loads of drama with the straightforward existence of a $1 million prize. Followers watching CJI knew that really life-changing cash was on the road, and that alone constructed an immense quantity of pressure into each single match.
2- The Alley, ruleset delivered motion
One main query heading into CJI was how the distinctive, pitted mat area (“The Alley”) would promote or hinder motion, and the way the CJI ruleset and judging standards would look in observe.
Briefly, The Alley and CJI ruleset put forth one of the vital exhilarating grappling competitions ever seen.
The Alley mat area was huge, so rivals had loads of room to work. What’s extra, the slanted edges didn’t detract from or change the grappling in any vital approach. If something, The Alley’s slanted perimeter solely inspired motion and compelled athletes to keep away from the perimeters every time potential.
The ruleset delivered in a equally large approach. Earlier than the occasion, some followers may need thought that the five-minute rounds would stop submission finishes by limiting the grapplers’ time to work and advance place. In actuality, although, loads of submissions occurred – together with Nick Rodriguez’s four-for-four million-dollar run. The rounds, coupled with open scoring and judging standards that emphasizes efficient motion slightly than outlined factors, led to a viewer-friendly and charming product.
3- Kade Ruotolo is likely to be the pound-for-pound greatest
The -80kg division was hailed as probably the most talent-stacked bracket within the historical past of grappling, and 21-year-old phenom Kade Ruotolo conquered it in epic style. With wins over former ADCC champion Matheus Diniz, IBJJF no-gi world champion Tommy Langaker, ADCC Trials winner Andrew Tackett, and adorned Australian Levi Jones-Leary, Ruotolo can comfortably stake his declare as the very best pound-for-pound male no-gi grappler on the planet.
The Californian is undefeated in no-gi competitors since 2021 – a run that features profitable a Who’s Quantity One (WNO) title, changing into the youngest-ever ADCC world champion, and profitable and defending the inaugural ONE light-weight submission grappling world title. He’s slated to defend that title and additional set up himself as a pound-for-pound powerhouse this September at ONE 168: Denver when he takes on Mikey Musumeci.
Notably, different pound-for-pound contenders could have fallen off. Two-division WNO champion Diego “Pato” Oliveira suffered a submission loss to returning ADCC champion Diogo Reis. Mica Galvao, whereas he gained gold within the -77kg division, was submitted within the absolute division by Dante Leon. Additionally, whereas Gordon Ryan is usually touted as the present pound-for-pound greatest, he hasn’t maintained the power of schedule wanted to maintain that title nor did he look significantly spectacular towards opponents he was closely favored towards.
4- Ffion Davies did her half to develop BJJ
High pound-for-pound feminine competitor Ffion Davies dominated former ADCC champion Mackenzie Dern en path to a lopsided submission victory. Whereas the match was promoted as the largest within the historical past of ladies’s grappling, most educated followers anticipated Davies to deal with Dern – who hadn’t competed in skilled grappling since 2017 and had a UFC combat lower than three weeks in the past – with relative ease.
Davies carried out as much as expectations, placing on an electrifying efficiency that undoubtedly grew the game of BJJ. Given Dern’s star energy within the UFC, many followers certainly tuned in to see the strawweight contender grapple, solely to observe Davies dismantle her in underneath six minutes. In flip, these followers will now need to tune into Davies’ subsequent match, creating actual, natural development.
If Davies accepts the problem put forth by current ADCC double-gold medalist Adele Fornarino, that match would legitimately mark one of the vital vital contests in BJJ historical past, because it pits the highest two pound-for-pound towards one another.
5- Breakout performances from Tackett, Kanard, and Andrew
There was no scarcity of sturdy performances at CJI, however three stood out among the many relaxation.
Younger black belt Andrew Tackett was already well known as one of many sport’s greatest and most entertaining athletes, however his star energy reached new heights at CJI. Tackett employed his all-action, buzzsaw strategy to grappling to tally electrifying wins over Nicky Ryan and Eoghan O’Flanagan, earlier than colliding with Kade Ruotolo within the semifinals in what’s already a lock for Match of the 12 months – and is likely to be one of many best matches in BJJ historical past. These performances netted Tackett a well-deserved $20,000 bonus and the dignity of the occasion’s most fun grappler.
Australian ADCC Trials winner Lucas Kanard got here in as a late substitute for Mason Fowler within the +80kg division, and in his first-round match towards event favourite Victor Hugo, he delivered one of the vital stunning upsets in current reminiscence. Kanard’s heel hook end of the massive man earned him a $50,000 bonus and introduced him as an actual participant on the elite scene.
Lastly, achieved IBJJF gi competitor Fellipe Andrew shined in three spectacular victories that put him within the +80kg remaining towards Nick Rodriguez. The Brazilian displayed a harmful and dynamic guard sport not often seen amongst heavier rivals, together with his lighting-fast triangle assaults and inventive leg entanglements being a spotlight of the occasion. Clearly, Andrew has the abilities to compete with the very best no-gi grapplers on the planet.
6- Nick Rodriguez versus Gordon Ryan is the match to make
Simply minutes after formally profitable the $1 million prize, Nick Rodriguez was joyful to place his new money on the road in a proposed wager match towards former teammate Gordon Ryan. Though that problem will probably not be accepted on Ryan’s finish, followers are clamoring for a match between the 2 high heavyweights.
Ryan already owns a pair of wins over Rodriguez, however with Rodriguez recent off the largest and greatest efficiency of his profession, and Ryan wanting considerably lackluster in his ADCC superfights, there’s no purpose to imagine {that a} third match between the 2 wouldn’t be aggressive.
Moreover, the meat between Rodriguez’s B-Workforce and Ryan’s New Wave is now at an all-time excessive, and it’s time to money in on that rivalry.
7- Scoring guard play versus guard passing remains to be tough
In an in any other case controversy-free two days of motion at CJI, one challenge reared its head: find out how to choose guard play towards guard passing.
Berimbolo specialist Levi Jones-Leary drew each ire and admiration from followers for his seemingly unpassable guard and insistence on forcing the highest participant to strategy his guard. On one hand, this model usually pushed the highest participant into defensive actions, which clearly amounted to “efficient” motion.
However, as Jones-Leary’s -80kg remaining opponent Kade Ruotolo identified, taking part in completely guard is, by its nature, a defensive posture that depends on the opposite grappler to return ahead.
This debate got here to a head at CJI, and future editions of the occasion might want to make clear how guard play needs to be judged towards guard passing.
