As Craig Jones International (CJI) 2 approaches, Team New Wave‘s heavyweight presence continues to generate significant buzz in the grappling community. Two of the team’s standout competitors, Luke Griffith and Big Dan Monoceayu, recently shared insights into their preparation and expectations for the upcoming quintet-style tournament.
At 23 years old and weighing 303 pounds, Big Dan Monoceayu represents one of the most physically imposing figures in competitive jiu-jitsu. His journey from a first-generation Romanian immigrant family with no money to competing for life-changing purses exemplifies the sport’s evolution.
“Everything I have in my life, I’m incredibly blessed over,”
Dan reflected in interview, describing his path from taking four-hour bus rides between Pennsylvania and New York just to train, to eventually moving to Puerto Rico and Austin.
Dan’s nickname origin story is refreshingly simple – John Danaher couldn’t pronounce his last name and simply dubbed him “Big Dan” during one of his first training sessions at Renzo Gracie’s academy. Now, that moniker has become synonymous with heavyweight grappling excellence.
When asked about potential spending plans for his share of the million-dollar prize, Dan remained characteristically honest:
“Probably not very responsibly. If you guys know anything about me, I love cars. …And I love causing trouble. So, my most recent purchase was a shopping cart with a motorcycle engine in it.”
Luke Griffith, another New Wave stalwart, brings a different perspective to the team’s preparation. Having been under Danaher’s tutelage for nearly four years, Griffith has witnessed firsthand the transformation of professional grappling.
“Before I moved here, if you told me like, Luke, you’d be able to support yourself and like actually like have, you know, make a living doing jiu-jitsu, I would never believe you,”
he admitted.
Griffith’s approach to the royal rumble format demonstrates tactical thinking beyond individual matchups.
“I think a lot of people put a a very big amount of emphasis on trying to study everything their partner does before a match. You can kind of get to overthinking in those situations,”
he explained. Instead, he advocates for relying on fundamental skills regardless of the opponent.
Regarding exclusive contracts currently affecting the sport, Griffith expressed concerns about their potential impact:
“I think it could be potentially detrimental. I just don’t think that there are enough people signed into one. It’s not one organization. So, are you going to be able to fight enough times in one year to actually make a living?”
Both competitors emphasized the strength of their New Wave roster, with particular praise for teammates like Dorian Olivarez at 66kg and Helena Crevar, who secured the first spot in CJI2’s $100,000 women’s tournament. The team’s depth and experience under Danaher’s guidance creates confidence heading into the team-based format.
The royal rumble quintet structure adds an element of unpredictability that both athletes embrace. Griffith noted the entertainment value:
“I think just to go in there confident that no matter who comes out, your skills are what you need to rely on and not try to figure out what your training partner is going to or your opponent’s going to do.”
CJI2 goes down on August 30th and 31st at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
