Craig Jones has announced the addition of Mahamed Aly to the over 80kg bracket of his Craig Jones Invitational (CJI), marking another high-profile departure from the ADCC competition. Jones shared the updated bracket on his personal social media, showcasing Aly as the newest entrant in the heavyweight division.
The over 80kg category has proven challenging to fill for CJI organizers. Jones hinted at difficulties in negotiations, commenting on Reddit, “Let’s just say some people think they deserve a lot of money to come out of retirement…..” This suggests that attempts to secure certain veterans for the event may have fallen through.
Jones also addressed the absence of New Wave athletes from CJI, explaining, “Guys new wave is all heavies. They’re not allowed to compete. Some heavies are contractually blocked. Some just straight up sold out for secret cash deals.” He expressed frustration with athletes who, in his view, are passing up the opportunity to win significant prize money.
The addition of Mahamed Aly to CJI further intensifies the ongoing controversy surrounding the scheduling conflict between ADCC and CJI. The grappling community remains divided on the impact of this clash, with concerns about the division of talent and attention between the two events.
As the event draws closer, the grappling world watches with interest to see how both ADCC and CJI will fare, and whether more high-profile athletes will make the switch to Jones’ million-dollar tournament.
