In the latest chapter of the escalating feud between Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu innovator Craig Jones and the UFC’s new BJJ venture, Jones has delivered a devastating counter to UFC executive Claudia Gadelha’s suggestion that he isn’t a proper role model for young practitioners.
The conflict ignited after Gadelha, who is spearheading the UFC’s push into the BJJ market, posted a video of herself tying a gi belt with a pointed caption seemingly directed at Jones: “WHILE SOME USE THEIR FAME TO PROMOTE EGO, CONTROVERSY, AND DISTRACTION, WE USE OUR PLATFORM TO ELEVATE THE SPORT. JIU-JITSU IS MORE THAN A SPORT — IT’S A PATH TO DISCIPLINE, PURPOSE, AND TRANSFORMATION. AND WE’RE HERE TO SHARE THAT WITH THE WORLD.”
Her post continued with “Kids are watching. They’re looking for heroes, let’s give them something real to look up to,” clearly positioning herself and the UFC as the more wholesome alternative to Jones’ brand of BJJ promotion.
Jones, known for his unfiltered approach to social media and sport promotion, responded by unearthing and remixing a years-old video of Gadelha sharing intimate advice. The clip, from 2021 shortly after Gadelha’s retirement from MMA, features the former UFC star offering explicit relationship guidance.
The strategic counter-punch from Jones has gone viral, amassing over 450,000 views on Instagram alone, dwarfing the reach of Gadelha’s original message. Comments on the post show overwhelming support for Jones, with remarks like “The devil works hard but Craig Jones works harder” and “Another day Craig Jones has woken up and chosen violence” garnering thousands of likes.
This public spat comes amid larger tensions between Jones’ Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) and the UFC’s BJJ venture. Jones recently exposed the financial details of UFC’s grappling contracts, revealing that competitors like Andrew Tackett were offered “$15k to show, $15k to win via submission” – figures that pale in comparison to CJI’s payouts, which include $10,001 just to show and a $1 million prize pool.
The conflict represents more than personal animosity; it highlights fundamental differences in approach to the sport’s future. While the UFC appears to be attempting to create a feeder system and secure exclusive contracts with top grapplers, Jones has positioned CJI as a competitor-first organization that offers substantial payouts that rival or exceed what many UFC stars earn.
Industry observers note that the timing of this dispute is significant, as elite grapplers now command salaries that can exceed those of mid-tier MMA stars, potentially diminishing the incentive for top BJJ talent to transition to mixed martial arts.
As the war of words and social media posts continues, Jones appears to be winning the public relations battle, with his unfiltered approach resonating with fans and practitioners alike. His willingness to challenge the UFC’s narrative about “elevating the sport” by exposing both their compensation structure and Gadelha’s past comments has struck a chord with the BJJ community.
For now, Jones continues to position himself as the authentic voice of modern grappling, while suggesting that the UFC’s entry into the market is less about elevating BJJ and more about protecting their primary business model from the growing financial appeal of professional grappling.
