Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson is set to face Brazilian jiu-jitsu superstar Craig Jones at the upcoming Craig Jones Invitational 2 (CJI 2) this August in Las Vegas.
The marquee “super fight” will pit the wrestling technique of Steveson against the submission expertise of Jones, the self-proclaimed “King of Jiu-Jitsu,” in what promises to be a fascinating stylistic matchup.
Speaking about the upcoming contest, Steveson acknowledged the unique challenges posed by facing a jiu-jitsu specialist.
“You keep the pressure on, but you keep it on to a certain extent,” Steveson explained in Overdogs appearance. “Craig is seasoned in sitting on his back and being reliable in that position. And so we’re used to, as wrestlers, especially me, it’s just pressure, pressure, pressure. But I know that’s what he’s going to be looking for.”
The 24-year-old wrestling phenom, who recently suffered a surprising upset loss to Oklahoma State’s Wyatt Hendrickson in the NCAA finals, outlined his strategy for dealing with Jones’s dangerous submission game.
“Just avoiding that, hitting the right turns, hitting the right angles, and letting that body weight really get on him,” Steveson said.
For Jones, the matchup offers a chance to build on his impressive showing at last year’s inaugural CJI event, where he submitted nine-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu gold medalist Gabi Garcia via rear-naked choke in the second round.
“This year’s clash promises a tougher challenge — a showdown of college freestyle wrestling versus jiu-jitsu,” Jones noted in his announcement.
Steveson, the former University of Minnesota standout, enters this cross-disciplinary challenge at an interesting point in his athletic career. After his Olympic triumph, he has explored various opportunities, including brief stints with WWE and the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, before returning to collegiate competition.
While he has previously expressed interest in transitioning to mixed martial arts and reportedly sought meetings with UFC CEO Dana White, this foray into competitive jiu-jitsu represents his first step into a related combat sport.
The contrasting styles between the wrestling-based approach of Steveson and the submission-focused strategy of Jones should create an intriguing dynamic when these two elite athletes meet on the mat this summer at CJI 2 on August 31st.
