The Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community has been closely following the cancelled match between Olympic wrestling champion Gable Steveson and submission grappling star Craig Jones at the Craig Jones Invitational 2. What started as a high-profile matchup has become a public dispute with claims of predetermined results, injury cover-ups and conflicting accounts.
“There was a look in the eye of saying hey, ‘I’m gonna retire after this match. I don’t want to take this loss. Can you do this for me?'”
Steveson said on Ariel Helwani’s show. He implied that Jones wanted him to “work” the match. He also mentioned dealing with a turf toe injury that contributed to his withdrawal.
Jones responded on Instagram with a question highlighting a contradiction in Steveson’s account.
“So you agreed to a ‘work’? But then got injured and had to pull out of a work. Make that make sense for me?”
Jones noted that if a match is predetermined, an injury would not change the outcome. The question pointed out a flaw in Steveson’s story.
Gordon Ryan, who has been allied with Steveson in recent months, initially praised his withdrawal as a strategic decision. After Steveson’s interview, Ryan posted:
“Crooked creg having a meltdown that gable is saying he asked him to take a dive in their match. Let’s ask ourselves an important question – Did the chael match look real or fixed? Bro had THAT match right in front of his eyes, and you’re questioning whether or not he asked Gable to have a fake match? Whole event was just like his ig persona- fake.”
Ryan’s input suggests he first interpreted the withdrawal as a business decision not a moral issue.
Several aspects undermine Steveson’s claims. He delayed mentioning the alleged request to alter the match until after criticism over his last-minute withdrawal. Jones highlighted that withdrawing from a predetermined match due to injury does not make sense. Steveson’s description relies on interpretation rather than direct conversation. His training partner, Gordon Ryan initially framed the withdrawal as a strategic move not evidence of manipulation.
Jones has earned his reputation through legitimate competition and event management. The Craig Jones Invitational is known for its production quality and open scoring. Steveson has Olympic wrestling credentials and a brief WWE stint followed by MMA training which has led some to question his competitive focus.
Steveson framed himself as pressured to act unethically but the inconsistencies in his account and Jones’s response suggest another reality.
Not to mention the dismissed criminal case that seriously undermines his ethics and puts it into perspective why WWE fans refused to get behind him despite his Olympic Gold medal.
Jones exposed the central flaw in Steveson’s version by asking a straightforward question about injury affecting a predetermined match.
