JRE MMA Show #157 with Craig Jones

Episode Summary

Main Topics

Joe Rogan interviews professional grappler Craig Jones about his new venture, the Craig Jones Invitational (CJI), a no-gi grappling tournament designed to directly compete with ADCC and significantly increase athlete compensation. The conversation delves into the controversial decision to schedule CJI head-to-head with ADCC, offering an unprecedented $1 million prize for division winners and $10,000 show money for all competitors, contrasting sharply with ADCC's traditional $10,000 prize for first place. Jones also discusses his training philosophy, his coaching experience with UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski, and the unique rule set and production elements planned for the CJI event, including a proposed super fight against Gabby Garcia.

Key Discussion Points

• The Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) & Competition with ADCC: Craig Jones reveals the launch of his new grappling tournament, the CJI, which aims to challenge ADCC's dominance and elevate athlete pay. The CJI will feature a $1,000,000 prize for division winners and a $10,000 show fee for all participants, in stark contrast to ADCC's $10,000 for winning a division. Jones explains that the event, funded by an anonymous benefactor (dubbed a "sugar daddy"), is structured as a non-profit with ticket sales benefiting charities, aiming to be held annually, unlike ADCC's biennial schedule. This head-to-head timing is a deliberate strategy to force ADCC to reconsider its athlete compensation and to make a "stand" for grapplers.
• Athlete Compensation and the Economics of Grappling: A core theme is the financial struggles of professional grapplers, who often earn more from seminars and instructionals than from competition prizes. Jones highlights how ADCC's prize money has remained stagnant despite growing ticket sales and streaming revenue, advocating for a larger share to go back to athletes. He argues that a $1 million prize makes the CJI the most prestigious event, attracting top talent like Ffion Davies, the Ruotolo brothers, and Nicky Rodriguez, who are willing to risk ADCC repercussions for the life-changing money.
• CJI's Unique Rule Set and Production: Jones outlines innovative changes for the CJI to make it more appealing to fans, particularly MMA fans. This includes a new rule set with 3x5 minute rounds, 10-point MMA-style scoring, and "open scoring" to keep fans informed. Inspired by Karate Combat, the mat will feature an "angled wall" (the "alley") to prevent stalling and referee interruptions, making escapes more difficult and forcing continuous action, which Jones previously utilized in his match against Philip Rowe.
• Training, Steroids, and Athlete Health: Jones openly discusses his casual approach to training, lack of stretching or recovery, and his use of TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy), contrasting it with the intense, disciplined regimens of athletes like Alexander Volkanovski. He acknowledges the open tolerance of steroids in grappling, noting that his transparency aims to promote safer practices for younger athletes who will likely use them. Rogan and Jones touch upon the physical toll of intense training, the impact of antibiotics on performance (referencing Gordon Ryan's past health issues), and the concept of "enhanced games" where performance-enhancing drugs are openly allowed.
• Coaching Alexander Volkanovski and MMA Insights: Jones shares his experiences coaching UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski, particularly during his short-notice fight against Islam Makhachev and the subsequent loss to Ilia Topuria. He emphasizes Volkanovski's incredible toughness and belief, even surviving submissions that 99.9% of others would tap to, like Brian Ortega's mounted guillotine. Jones expresses a desire for Volkanovski to take a grappling match (e.g., against Brian Ortega) during his recovery period, highlighting how MMA fighters' unique approach to "turtle" and stand-up grappling has influenced his own technique.

Notable Moments

• The $1 Million Cash Prop: Jones stunned Joe Rogan by bringing an actual $1,000,000 in cash to the podcast, spilling it onto the table to visually demonstrate the prize money for the CJI, emphasizing the anonymous backer's trust and the grand scale of the event.
• Craig Jones vs. Gabby Garcia Match Announcement: Jones formally announces his long-teased super fight against the decorated multi-time world champion Gabby Garcia, stating the contract was signed just hours before the podcast. He jokes about the "Harvey Weinstein producer" effort to secure the match and the underlying "sexual tension" finally being resolved in the ring.
• Vinnie Magalhaes Leg Break: Rogan brings up Jones' infamous match against Vinnie Magalhaes, where Jones visibly broke Magalhaes' leg with a heel hook early in the match, yet Magalhaes continued fighting. Jones recounts the shocking sound of the break, Magalhaes' mid-match declaration of injury, and his own moral dilemma about continuing to attack the compromised leg, calling it a "disgusting" and traumatizing moment.

Key Takeaways

This episode offers a candid look into the bold ambitions of Craig Jones and the evolving landscape of professional grappling. Listeners gain insight into the financial disparities for athletes in the sport and Jones's disruptive approach to challenging established organizations like ADCC for better pay. The discussion highlights the unique technical and strategic aspects of high-level grappling, alongside the physical and psychological demands on athletes, revealing the personalities and philosophies that drive innovation and competition in the sport. The episode is particularly valuable for understanding the current shifts in grappling event promotion and the potential future for athlete empowerment and fan engagement.