In a passionate social media statement, BJJ black belt Tom Deblass has addressed his criticism of athletes choosing to compete in the Craig Jones Invitational over the prestigious ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship.
Deblass expressed his disappointment with competitors like the Tackett Brothers, who won the ADCC trials but opted to participate in Jones’ event instead, lured by the $1 million prize purse. “Why go after ADCC is my question. Why?” Deblass asked, concerned that their decision undermines the honor and prestige of competing at ADCC, widely regarded as the “Olympics of submission grappling.”
The crux of Deblass’ argument lies in his loyalty to ADCC promoter MonJassim (Mo) and the immense effort poured into making the event a success. “I owe a lot to Mo as a personal friend…ADCC helped build a lot of us,” Deblass stated, recounting the sleep Mozaffari has lost and personal sacrifices made to grow the competition.
While acknowledging the allure of the $1 million prize, Deblass questioned why the Craig Jones Invitational had to be scheduled opposite ADCC rather than “the next weekend.” He speculated that Jones may harbor “a personal beef with ADCC.”
Deblass also empathized with fans who purchased ADCC tickets expecting to see marquee matches, as well as sponsors who invested in the event. “I don’t think it’s fair to the fans who already bought tickets to ADCC,” he said.
However, his principal concern appears to be preserving ADCC’s prestige and Jassim’s vision. Deblass fears that if prominent athletes continually defect to competing events, it could jeopardize ADCC’s future: “Let’s say this CJI is one and done. And then Mo’s like, ‘You know what? F*** you guys.’ …If he walks away, then what? Are we going to see ADCC the same way it’s ever been seen?”
Ultimately, Deblass affirmed his commitment to attending ADCC in August, vowing to “be at ADCC front row cheering for the athletes, cheering for the champions and watching the legends be made.”
Of course, Jones already addressed this criticism in a lengthy MMA Hour appearance in which he explained his desire to disrupt the space and show that grapplers can’t be sidelined while everyone else involved in a grappling event gets paid.
