The Craig Jones Invitational was meant to showcase elite grappling, but it seems the spotlight has shifted to a different kind of drama. During the staredown with nine-time ADCC champion Gabi Garcia, Craig Jones, the Australian grappling star, pulled a stunt that sent ripples through the combat sports community. His attempt to plant a kiss on Garcia, presumably in jest, has drawn widespread criticism, and one UFC featherweight isn’t holding back.
Nathaniel Wood, a rising star in the UFC’s featherweight division, was quick to voice his disapproval. Taking to Twitter, Wood expressed his frustration: “I’m all for banter, but this is just wrong. Regardless of her size, imagine that being your daughter or partner.” Wood’s reaction echoes the sentiments of many who felt Jones crossed a line, transforming a playful moment into a disrespectful one.
He wasn’t alone either. Plenty of non BJJ fans were extremely offended:
Most of the random commenters refered to Craig Jones as MMA Fighter (lol), and were utterly unfamiliar with Garcia, her gender and her impressive BJJ legacy.
The incident, which occurred during the face-off on August 17 at the Thomas and Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, was captured on video and has since gone viral. While some fans chalked it up to showmanship, the backlash has been fierce. Headlines like “Internet blasts Australian MMA fighter over kiss on unsuspecting rival” and “Viral Kiss Between MMA Fighters Sparks Outrage Online” started popping up, further fueling the controversy. Social media platforms lit up with heated debates, with many condemning Jones’ actions as inappropriate, while others criticized the “woke mob” for overreacting. One reshared video of Jones and Garcia has 42M views.
Despite the uproar, the match between Jones and Garcia went ahead as planned, and it turned out to be a wholesome affair. Jones, known for his technical prowess, seemed to be more interested in toying with his opponent than securing a quick victory. While Garcia, an exceptional grappler in her own right, struggled to keep up, Jones appeared to be in complete control.
In the end, Jones won by submission.
While some fans appreciated the showmanship, others, like Nathaniel Wood, were left questioning the ethics of such antics in a sport that prides itself on respect and honor. But what many critics fail to see is that CJI livestream peaked during the intergender match – with the stream reaching 157k concurrent live audience members.
Garcia expressed her admiration for Jones on social media after. In a heartfelt post, she praised him for his impact on the sport and thanked him for the opportunity to compete. Garcia was the overwhelming favorite in her entire career thanks to her massive stature. This has made her unpopular with US fans for the longest times – due to the fact the majority of her opponents were conceeding quite a bit of a weight difference. Through parttaking in CJI, many fans came to know Garcia’s sense of humor, her willingness to be a good sport and to push the sport of grappling in a direction that would allow it to flourish.
