Australian Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu star Craig Jones recently made headlines by organizing what he claims was “the biggest seminar in Ukrainian history” in Ukraine. The charity event, documented by Jacksonxmedia, showcased both the resilience of Ukraine’s martial arts community and the extraordinary lengths athletes will go to support those in need.
The ambitious seminar attracted over 200 participants, with 150 tickets selling within just two hours of announcement. Jones, accompanied by his team including the perpetually late Mitch, embarked on a grueling 14-hour journey from Poland to Kiev, racing against a midnight curfew that would have prevented their entry into the capital.
“Craig gets on the horn and says ‘I’m a man of the people. Please allow me to come inside you, no pun intended, and do a seminar,'”
one team member recounted. The $50-per-head charity event directed proceeds toward supporting soldiers who train in jiu-jitsu, maintaining a politically neutral stance while providing direct aid to those on the front lines.
Jones emphasized that his visit was not politically motivated, stating,
“This is not like a political stance or anything like that. We are completely middle ground of that. Ukraine just seemed like a much easier option for us at this point.”
The decision to visit Ukraine over other locations was primarily logistical, though the jiu-jitsu community’s enthusiasm played a significant role.
The seminar took place at an undisclosed location filled with active soldiers, including individuals who had lost limbs in combat. Jones explained the donation structure:
“I just said you guys give to who you think you want and so I think that money is going to go to soldiers that train.”
The funds raised are expected to support Ukrainian military personnel who practice jiu-jitsu, providing direct assistance to those defending their country.
Among the attendees was a half-Czech, half-Ukrainian MMA star from an intelligence unit who presented Jones with gifts from captured Russian military equipment, including a knife taken from a defeated Russian soldier.
“This is a trophy from the destroyed Russian column,”
he explained while maintaining anonymity for security reasons.
Beyond the martial arts instruction, the visit exposed Jones and his team to the realities of the ongoing conflict. They toured villages previously occupied by Russian forces, witnessed underground bunkers where Ukrainian competitors operate drone missions, and visited museums displaying captured enemy vehicles. The experience included stops at apartment blocks damaged by missiles and meetings with special forces operators living in basement bunkers.
“Soldiers everywhere. There’s people that have lost their legs. They lost everything here. Everyone’s training,”
Jones observed, highlighting the resilience of the Ukrainian jiu-jitsu community.
The documentary nature of their visit extended to weapons training, where Jones and his team experienced everything from semi-automatic rifles to RPGs at makeshift shooting ranges. However, the underlying message remained focused on human resilience and the power of sport to unite communities during challenging times.
One Ukrainian soldier summarized the situation:
“One country wants to completely eliminate another country and you see what happened… so there’s only one right thing to do is to stand against it and try to protect it.”
The success of this record-breaking charity seminar represents more than just a sporting achievement. It showcases how martial arts can serve as a bridge for humanitarian support during times of crisis, bringing together international athletes and local communities for a common cause. Jones‘s charity seminar demonstrated how martial arts can transcend borders and conflicts, providing both financial support and morale to those defending their homeland while giving international athletes perspective on global struggles beyond the competition mats.
Jones‘s initiative has set a precedent for how combat sports athletes can use their platforms to make meaningful contributions to global humanitarian efforts, proving that sport has the power to unite people even in the most challenging circumstances.
