The Craig Jones Invitational 2 concluded with intense action on Day 2, delivering both finishes and contentious moments that had the grappling community buzzing. After a lukewarm first day of competition, CJI founder Craig Jones announced a game-changing $50,000 submission bonus for every finish during the team tournament, instantly transforming the atmosphere and level of aggression.
The B-Team claimed the $1 million grand prize in a razor-thin decision over New Wave, with the final team duel going to five consecutive double eliminations before being decided by judges’ scorecards. The aggregate score was tied 47-47 across all three judges, forcing the decision to come down to the final individual match between Nick Rodriguez and Luke Griffith, which all three judges scored 10-8 in favor of Rodriguez.
Victor Hugo emerged as the night’s biggest individual earner, collecting two $50,000 submission bonuses with arm triangles over Fabricio Andrey and Belal Etiabari in the semifinals. This, combined with his share of the team prize, made him $100,000 richer before even reaching the finals.
In the women’s bracket, Helena Crevar captured the $100,000 prize by submitting Sarah Galvao with an Aoki lock in the third round, marking the largest prize in women’s grappling history.
The most significant controversy involved stalling penalties, with officials implementing a new aggressive enforcement policy on day 2. Lucas Barbosa of Team Atos received a point deduction and positional reset during his match with Mica Galvao, leading to heated protests from coach Andre Galvao who was
“extremely annoyed with that call.”
Another talking point emerged around submission acknowledgments, with referee Big John McCarthy clarifying that
“one tap says that you have been checkmated”
following questions about brief tapping motions that some competitors claimed were unintentional.
The event also saw an unexpected moment when Belal Etiabari, despite sustaining a broken foot injury from Kyle Boehm’s heel hook the previous day, returned to compete in the semifinals on a heavily taped ankle, embodying the warrior spirit that defined the weekend.
Dorian Olivarez delivered one of the most dominant individual performances, completely overwhelming Felipe Pena in their lightweight versus heavyweight matchup. Despite the significant size disadvantage, Olivarez imposed his pace and pressure throughout, earning what many considered a clear 10-8 round.
Kenta Iwamoto also impressed by going toe-to-toe with Nick Rodriguez, nearly submitting the former million-dollar winner and forcing active defense throughout their encounter.
Craig Jones himself provided entertainment in his fast match against Chael Sonnen, submitting the MMA star twice with buggy chokes in what became an impromptu showcase of his signature technique.
The submission bonus announcement proved to be a masterstroke, immediately elevating the action level. As CJI president Seth Belial explained:
“We didn’t spend nine months of our lives putting on the best event ever to see athletes go out there and just edge it out.”
The incentive worked, producing multiple finishes including Luke Griffith’s rear naked choke over Diego Pato, Felipe Pena’s armbar over Luke Griffith and Giancarlo Bodoni’s armbar over Ronaldo Jr.
The weekend showcased why CJI has become the premier destination for elite grappling, combining massive prize purses with innovative rule enforcement and entertainment value that keeps pushing the sport forward.
