In a recent video, ADCC 2024 competitor Brandon Reed expressed his gratitude towards Craig Jones for his efforts in pressuring the ADCC organization to better compensate its athletes.
Reed, who received $2,500 just for showing up at the prestigious grappling event, acknowledged that this compensation would not have been possible without Jones’ influence.
Reed’s comments came after he had the opportunity to watch the Craig Jones Invitational (CJI), an event organized by the renowned Australian grappler during the same weekend as ADCC. The athlete praised the event, highlighting the high-level Jiu-Jitsu showcased, particularly in matches like Kade Ruotolo vs. Andrew Tackett and Nicky Rod’s dominant performance.
One of the standout aspects of the CJI, according to Reed, was the fair treatment of the athletes. He noted that even the competitors who lost in the first round were still compensated, a stark contrast to the traditional ADCC format. This, Reed believes, is a direct result of Jones’ efforts to prioritize the welfare of the grapplers.
“Even me as an ADCC athlete, I got paid $2,500 to show up at ADCC, even though I lost in the first round,” Reed stated. “That was not going to happen if it wasn’t for Craig Jones. I have nothing against ADCC at all, but it was nice to get paid for it.”
Reed’s appreciation for Jones’ impact extends beyond the financial aspect. He also praised the CJI’s ability to showcase the human side of the sport’s top athletes, where even the dominant Ruotolos and Nicky Rod looked “human” and were not intimidated by their opponents.
While many criticized Craig Jones’ decision to organize his event in the same general area and same weekend as ADCC, it’s hard to deny that it had a huge positive impact. The impact extended past those who were invited to CJI, and onto everyone at ADCC: female competitors got to have the same prize as men (which previously was not the case) and there was show money for the first time in history.
