As the highly anticipated ADCC 2024 approaches, Mo Jassim, the organizer of the grappling event, addressed concerns regarding athlete pull-outs and the emergence of Craig Jones’ Invitation, a competing grappling tournament.
In an exclusive interview with Agfight, Jassim expressed his understanding of athletes’ decisions to withdraw from ADCC, emphasizing that participation is voluntary and not bound by contracts. “At the end of the day, ADCC is voluntary. We don’t do contracts. So if someone wants to leave, that’s okay. My only thing is just let me know so I have time to get a replacement,” Jassim stated.
He further acknowledged that athlete pull-outs are not uncommon, recalling that in 2019, ADCC experienced 19 withdrawals due to injuries and other factors. Jassim remained confident in ADCC’s ability to manage such situations, stating, “We’ll be fine. All the tickets have been sold. And, you know, they’re taking a much different approach.”
Regarding the CJI, Jassim expressed a pragmatic view, acknowledging that if Craig Jones’ event offers financial opportunities for athletes, it could benefit the sport overall. “If Craig’s bringing in big money and getting some athletes paid, and it’s good for the sport, why not?” he said.
However, Jassim’s primary focus remains on growing ADCC and attracting audiences from outside the grappling community. He emphasized the importance of packaging grappling as a spectacle, drawing inspiration from the now-defunct Pride Fighting Championships. “My thing is, I want to blow this up to pull people from outside the sport,” Jassim stated.
As ADCC 2024 approaches, Jassim extended an invitation to Brazilian fans worldwide, expressing his gratitude for their support and encouraging them to witness the epic battles between athletes from various nations. “Thank you for supporting ADCC,” Jassim said. “I would watch ADCC 2024. It’s going to be a very contested division, epic fights, and, you know, we’re gonna see the Americans, the Brazilians, European countries, Asian countries battle it out, and let’s see who comes out on top.”
Meanwhile CJI scooped up another two names in Mason Fowler and Roberto Jimenez.
Mason Fowler, won the ADCC East & West Coast Trials in 2019 and 2021, has announced his decision to compete in the Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) instead of the ADCC 2024. The announcement was shared on social media, highlighting Fowler’s notable history, including his victory over Craig Jones using hip pressure.
Fowler humorously mentioned that the reason for his invitation was due to Craig Jones wanting to give him pink eye again, a reference to their previous encounters. The Instagram post from the official CJI account confirmed Fowler’s participation, adding to the list of top-tier athletes opting for CJI over ADCC this year.
Reacting to the development, ADCC promoter added that Roberto Jimenez was out as well and implied that the pull out was over reluctance to face Meregali over the $10,001 in purse money and a chance to win $1M prize.
