Craig Jones offered a pragmatic perspective on the integration of high-level jiu-jitsu techniques into mixed martial arts training in the aftermath of UFC 314. While acknowledging the effectiveness of advanced grappling skills when mastered, Jones questions whether the investment required to develop these skills represents the most efficient use of an MMA fighter’s training time.
“Even leg lock entries work in MMA,” Jones notes in video, but adds an important caveat: “to reach a level to make it effective under the threat of strikes, it’s diminishing returns because it’s going to take you an awfully long time to develop the skills to be effective there and if you were trying to be efficient in your training, it’s probably not worth the reward.”
Jones’s assessment comes from his experience working with elite stars, including UFC champion Alexander Volkanovski. He recognizes that while high-level jiu-jitsu can be devastating when executed properly in the octagon—citing Diego Lopes as an example of someone who effectively utilizes advanced submissions like triangles and arm bars—the extensive time investment required to master these techniques might be better allocated elsewhere for most stars.
This perspective challenges the conventional wisdom that MMA fighters should pursue advanced jiu-jitsu skills as a primary focus. Jones bluntly states, “Oftentimes a coach, especially a grappling coach for MMA, most of the time jiu-jitsu guys [are] useless.” This provocative statement likely stems from his observation that many jiu-jitsu techniques that work brilliantly in pure grappling competitions don’t translate effectively to MMA contexts where strikes are involved.
Jones does, however, acknowledge exceptions to this rule. He highlights that at “the extreme level,” high-level grappling can be remarkably effective in MMA. Fighters like Lopes, who can execute submissions while absorbing ground-and-pound, demonstrate the potential power of advanced jiu-jitsu when properly adapted to MMA.
For most, Jones suggests focusing on defensive fundamentals rather than exotic submissions. He details how techniques like maintaining an “eye-to-eye” position against dangerous guards—a concept borrowed from GSP’s approach against BJ Penn—can neutralize submission threats while enabling effective offense. These fundamentals require less specialized training time while yielding significant competitive advantages.
Jones’s perspective reflects a pragmatic approach to fighter development that prioritizes efficiency and effectiveness over technical complexity for its own sake. While advanced jiu-jitsu skills can certainly enhance an MMA fighter’s arsenal, the time investment required to master them may represent a suboptimal allocation of limited training resources for most competitors.
