In an interview on The Grapplers Perspective Podcast, Coach Faris Ben-Lamkadem revealed the behind-the-scenes details of organizing the European trials for Craig Jones Invitational (CJI), including his controversial decision to include show girls as part of the event’s entertainment.
Ben-Lamkadem, who was selected as the European CJI coach, explained how he pitched entertainment-focused ideas to Craig Jones and Seth that helped him secure the coaching position over other candidates.
“When I pitched some of the ideas I had for them, I think they loved it,” he said. “I think that’s what probably swayed them.”
The European trials gained significant attention for their unique presentation style, which Ben-Lamkadem deliberately designed to be different from other jiu-jitsu events.
“I want to make people watch jiu-jitsu that never watch it and can enjoy it for what it is,” he explained. “Like the spectacle of it, it was almost like a school fight.”
One of the most talked-about aspects of the event was the inclusion of show girls, which Ben-Lamkadem revealed was initially a concern for Craig Jones.
“Craig probably wasn’t too big of a fan of the show girls based on what’s going on at the B team,” Ben-Lamkadem shared. “But I said, don’t worry about that, man. Just put that on me… he didn’t want to be involved with that so he stayed up on the balcony instead of walking out with them.”
The show girls were part of Ben-Lamkadem’s strategy to create a more entertaining atmosphere that would appeal to new audiences.
“We had show girls there that never watched jiu-jitsu in their life. And they loved it,” he said. “They thought it was the best thing ever. And they don’t watch jiu-jitsu. They don’t train jiu-jitsu.”
Ben-Lamkadem explained that his primary goal was creating content and building interest around the European team.
“Make some entertainment, make an arc around the European team, get people to follow us, get people to know what some of the characters are,” he said, noting that this approach could help secure sponsorships for the team.
Despite some criticism about safety concerns with competitors going off the mats during matches, Ben-Lamkadem stands by his decisions. When asked if he would do anything differently, he responded,
“No, I think I’ll do everything the exact same. Maybe just more show girls.”
The European trials ultimately succeeded in generating buzz and selecting a competitive team for the upcoming CJI event, where they’ll face teams from Daisy Fresh, ATOS, and the Americas in a Quintet-style format competition.
