We preview the talent-laden -80kg division on the inaugural CJI, set to go down in Las Vegas on August 16-17.
The inaugural Craig Jones Invitational (CJI), with its $1 million prize per division, has understandably drawn collectively a lot of the highest expertise in no-gi grappling. To that finish, the -80kg division seems to be essentially the most talent-stacked bracket the game has ever seen.
With 2022 ADCC world champion Kade Ruotolo main the way in which, the division is loaded with embellished world champions, surging stars, and lots of the planet’s most technical grapplers.
Earlier than we dive into the favorites, contenders, and darkish horses of the division, take a look at the bracket and full lineup of athletes beneath.
-80kg
- Andrew Tackett
- Jozef Chen
- Nicky Ryan
- Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa
- Eoghan O’Flanagan
- Matheus Diniz
- Renato Canuto
- Levi Jones-Leary
- Tommy Langaker
- Jason Nolf
- Andy Varela
- Kade Ruotolo
- Tye Ruotolo
- Roberto Jimenez
- Kenta Iwamoto
- Magid Hage
Favorites: Tye Ruotolo, Kade Ruotolo, Roberto Jimenez
In a division this filled with prime grapplers, it’s troublesome to slender down the favorites to simply three. With that mentioned, each Ruotolo brothers, in addition to IBJJF no-gi world champion Roberto Jimenez, stand out as athletes the almost certainly to make it deep into the event if not win all of it.
For a lot of followers and pundits alike, Tye Ruotolo is the bracket’s prime favourite. The reigning ONE welterweight submission grappling world champion pushes a torrid tempo that few males can match and possesses harmful submission expertise in all areas of grappling. The 21-year-old is each an explosive athlete and grasp technician who tends to do his finest work from the highest place the place he’s a risk together with his trademark d’arce choke and underrated guard passing.
With latest victories over prime opponents Izaak Michell and Jozef Chen, Ruotolo seems to be within the most interesting form of his still-young profession.
Ruotolo’s twin brother, Kade Ruotolo, is simply as a lot of a favourite. He loved a historic, all-submission run on the 2022 ADCC World Championships to ascertain himself as a real pound-for-pound powerhouse. And with victories over the likes of Francisco Lo and Tommy Langaker, he stays one of many sport’s prime athletes in any division. In contrast to his brother, Kade is a extra spontaneous submission hunter, usually pleased to leap on an assault on the threat of shedding place.
Lastly, Ecuador’s Roberto Jimenez is one man who ought to be capable of deal with the Ruotolo brothers. Whereas he was initially slated to compete within the 99kg division at ADCC 2024, he has dropped appreciable weight to make 80kg – which means he shall be one of many division’s extra bodily imposing athletes. A hyper-aggressive grappler with a seemingly countless fuel tank, Jimenez may be the game’s finest back-taker. If he can get previous his first-round matchup towards Levi Jones-Leary, followers can possible look ahead to a showdown between Tye Ruotolo and Jimenez within the second spherical. The winner of that may have a transparent path to the ultimate.
Contenders: Andrew Tackett, Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa, Jozef Chen
Rising younger expertise Andrew Tackett has appeared virtually unbeatable over the previous 12 months, and given his draw within the bracket, he stands to make it deep and show himself to be a pound-for-pound pressure. The Texas native places a blistering tempo on all of his opponents, working relentlessly on the ft earlier than looking the again on the mat. Tackett is a real workhorse who will possible excel within the CJI 15-minute matches.
A number of-time ADCC medalist Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa shall be one other title to observe. The Atos consultant shall be huge for the load class and has all of the technical expertise and elite expertise to finest any grappler within the division. His wrestling and physicality will set him aside from most opponents, and given his familiarity with the Ruotolo brothers, he may take out one of many younger phenoms.
Additionally, B-Group product Jozef Chen may take pleasure in a statement-making weekend at CJI. A technical wizard who’s widely known as one of many sport’s most promising younger skills, Chen is robust in all areas of grappling however tends to do his finest work when passing guard. Chen just lately suffered a choice loss to Tye Ruotolo in ONE Championship, however he possible considered that match as a chance for data gathering.
Darkish Horses: Levi Jones-Leary, Nicky Ryan, Tommy Langaker
Realistically, virtually any grappler on this bracket has the talents to make it to the ultimate, so discovering a real darkish horse is troublesome.
Berimbolo specialist Levi Jones-Leary continues to be comparatively new to the elite no-gi scene, however with victories over Jozef Chen and Jeremy Skinner, he’s confirmed himself to be a world-class competitor. Jones-Leary’s first-round matchup towards Roberto Jimenez pits two of the game’s finest back-takers towards one another and has fireworks written throughout it.
At simply 23 years previous, Nicky Ryan is already a longtime veteran of the game. The B-Group product is broadly considered one in every of BJJ’s prime technicians, boasting world-class expertise in all areas of grappling. In ADCC competitors, Ryan’s fuel tank has usually failed him. However, with spherical breaks constructed into the CJI ruleset, his endurance may not be as a lot of a legal responsibility. His first-round contest towards Andrew Tackett is probably going essentially the most anticipated of the occasion.
Lastly, IBJJF no-gi world champion Tommy Langaker is a risk towards any grappler within the bracket. Since his transition from gi to no-gi, Langaker has shined together with his top-notch berimbolo and back-taking recreation, in addition to an ever-evolving leg lock recreation. Regardless of back-to-back losses to Kade Ruotolo in ONE Championship, Langaker shouldn’t be counted out. His first-round conflict towards Renato Canuto is a rematch of the pair’s action-packed 2022 contest in ONE that noticed Langaker win by choice.
Find out how to watch: The inaugural CJI takes place on August 16-17 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and can air reside and free on the B-Team’s YouTube Channel.
