The inaugural Craig Jones Invitational in 2024 delivered two days of elite grappling at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, with $1 million on the line for each men’s division winner. 

The over 80kg and under 80kg tournaments featured some of the sport’s biggest names, along with superfights that added to the event’s appeal. Matches were contested in “the pit” under the CJI ruleset, with submissions ending bouts at any time and a range of dangerous techniques prohibited.

• Subscribe To FloGrappling To Watch BJJ Action All Year Long
• 5 Jiu-Jitsu Videos To Watch This Weekend | Grappling Watch Guide
• See All The Biggest Names Coming To Master's Worlds
  
• Grappling Bulletin: ADCC Nationals, Leandro Trial, EBI 25, Pedigo, & More

In the end, Nick Rodriguez and Kade Ruotolo emerged as champions, claiming the largest single payouts in submission grappling history.

Here's a breakdown of what happened at the 2024 Craig Jones Invitational.

CJI Results In 2024 

Here's a breakdown. 

Over 80kg Division

• Champion: Nick Rodriguez
• Final: Rodriguez def. Fellipe Andrew via RNC — R1, 1:32
• Semifinals: Rodriguez def. Adam Bradley via RNC — R3, 3:12; Fellipe Andrew def. Inacio Santos via heel hook — R2, 4:39

Under 80kg Division

• Champion: Kade Ruotolo
• Final: Ruotolo def. Levi Jones-Leary via unanimous decision (49-46, 48-47, 48-47)
• Semifinals: Jones-Leary def. Lucas Barbosa via unanimous decision (30-26, 29-27, 30-26); Ruotolo def. Andrew Tackett via split decision (29-27, 27-29, 29-28)

CJI 2024 Superfights

• Ffion Davies def. Mackenzie Dern via armbar — R2, 0:44
• Craig Jones def. Gabi Garcia via RNC — R2, 4:39

Full Craig Jones Invitational 2024 Bracket Results

Over 80kg First Round

• Nick Rodriguez def. Max Gimenis via RNC — R2, 1:45
• Owen Livesey def. Mahamed Aly via unanimous decision (29-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Adam Bradley def. Kyle Boehm via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Pat Downey def. Luke Rockhold via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-25, 30-26)
• Lucas Kanard def. Victor Hugo via heel hook — R1, 1:10
• Inacio Santos def. Pedro Alex via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Fellipe Andrew def. Daniel Kerkvliet via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 30-27)
• Joao Gabriel Rocha def. William Tackett via unanimous decision

Over 80kg Quarterfinals

• Nick Rodriguez def. Owen Livesey via RNC — R1, 3:41
• Adam Bradley def. Pat Downey via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Inacio Santos def. Lucas Kanard via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
• Fellipe Andrew def. Joao Gabriel Rocha via unanimous decision

Under 80kg First Round

• Tye Ruotolo def. Jason Nolf via kneebar — R3, 4:16
• Levi Jones-Leary def. Roberto Jimenez via inside heel hook — R1, 1:53
• Lucas Barbosa def. Kenta Iwamoto via unanimous decision
• Jozef Chen def. Andy Varela via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-27, 29-27)
• Kade Ruotolo def. Matheus Diniz via straight ankle lock — R1, 4:43
• Tommy Langaker def. Renato Canuto via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)
• Eoghan O’Flanagan def. Magid Hage via outside heel hook — R1, 1:41
• Andrew Tackett def. Nicky Ryan via unanimous decision (30-24, 30-24, 30-25)

Under 80kg Quarterfinals

• Levi Jones-Leary def. Tye Ruotolo via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)
• Lucas Barbosa def. Jozef Chen via knee crush — R3, 3:34
• Kade Ruotolo def. Tommy Langaker via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-27)
• Andrew Tackett def. Eoghan O’Flanagan via unanimous decision (30-26, 30-26, 30-26)

Craig Jones Invitational Schedule

The first day of the event is set for Saturday, Aug. 30 and concludes on Sunday, Aug. 31. 

CJI 2 Day 1 Schedule

Doors open at 7 p.m. ET with the preshow starting at 8:30 p.m. and the first matches at 9 p.m.

CJI Day 2 Schedule 

Doors open at 7 p.m. ET with the preshow starting at 8:30 p.m. and the first matches at 9 p.m.

How To Watch The Craig Jones Invitational 2025

The CJI 2 is streaming live on the B-Team Jiu Jitsu YouTube account for free. The embedded YouTube stream will be available to watch on the FloGrappling website. 

What Are CJI Rules?

CJI rules are an attempt to make grappling as accessible for fans of MMA as possible, so the matches follow the same time and scoring format as bouts in the UFC or other organizations. Three rounds of five minutes each where a submission ends the match at any time. CJI matches also happen in the pit, a slanted walled surface that aims to keep action continuous. The pit walls can be used for any submission or technique that you can think up.

What Are Quintet Rules?

The matches at CJI had scoring but if they follow true Quintet rules for CJI 2, those scores won't be necessary. In Quintet rules, any two people from each team begin the match and compete against each other. If no one wins by submission, the match is declared a draw and both are eliminated. If someone does win by submission, they stay and take on the next member of the opposing team until they either get submitted or compete to a draw. It's possible one person can go through an entire team by themselves. If both teams end up with everyone eliminated, there are traditionally tie-breaking criteria around penalties and aggression to help determine a team winner.

It has been confirmed that CJI 2 tournament matches will be eight minutes long. It remains to be seen what, if any, other changes that CJI 2 makes to the Quintet system.

What Are The Teams For CJI 2?

Here are the team rosters for the Craig Jones Invitational.

10th Planet

• -66kg: Geo Martinez
• -77kg: Alan Sanchez
• -88kg: PJ Barch
• -99kg: Ryan Aitken
• +99kg: Kyle Boehm

Coach: Eddie Bravo

New Wave Jiu-Jitsu

• -66kg: Dorian Olivarez
• -77kg: Mica Galvão
• -88kg: Giancarlo Bodoni
• -99kg: Luke Griffith
• +99kg: Vagner Rocha

Coach: John Danaher

B-Team Jiu-Jitsu

• -66kg: Ethan Crelinsten
• -77kg: Jozef Chen
• -88kg: Chris Wojcik
• -99kg: Nick Rodriguez
• +99kg: Victor Hugo

Coach: Nicky Ryan & Damien Anderson

Team Australia/Asia

• -66kg: Fabricio Andrey
• -77kg: Kenta Iwamoto
• -88kg: Lucas Kanard
• -99kg: Declan Moody
• +99kg: Belal Etiabari

Coach: Lachlan Giles

Team Americas

• -66kg: Gavin Corbe
• -77kg: Deandre Corbe
• -88kg: Elijah Dorsey
• -99kg: Taylor Pearman
• +99kg: Pat Downey

Coach: Greg Souders

Team Europe

• -66kg: Owen Jones
• -77kg: Pawel Jaworski
• -88kg: Paul Ardilla
• -99kg: Charles Negromonte
• +99kg: Marcin Maciulewicz

Coach: Faris Benlamkadem

Team Atos

• -66kg: Diego Pato
• -77kg: Ronaldo Junior
• -88kg: Lucas Barbosa
• -99kg: Kaynan Duarte
• +99kg: Felipe Pena

Coach: Andre Galvão

Pedigo Submission Fighting

• -66kg: Max Hanson
• -77kg: Dante Leon
• -88kg: Jacob Couch
• -99kg: Michael Pixley
• +99kg: Brandon Reed

Coach: Heath Pedigo

Women's $100k Bracket

CJI will hold its first women's bracket for $100,000, featuring four of the best in the world competing in an open weight bracket. They will be:

• Adele Fornarino
• Helena Crevar
• Ana Carolina Vieira
• Sarah Galvão

Top Ranked Grapplers At CJI 2

Based on the most recent FloGrappling World Rankings from Aug. 4, these are the top grapplers that will be competing at CJI. Each is listed with their most recent weight class ranking, except Mica Galvao, who is ranked No. 2 in Flo’s pound-for-pound ranking. Here is the list of top-ranked competitors at CJI. 

• No. 2 Mica Galvao - Kingsway Jiu-Jitsu - 77KG
• No. 1 Diego Pato - Team Atos - 66 KG
• No. 2 Fabricio Andrey - Team Australia/Asia - 66 KG
• No. 3 Dante Leon - Pedigo Submission Fighting - 77 KG
• No. 4 Deandre Corbe - Team Americas - 77 KG 
• No. 9 Ethan Crelinsten - Team Americas - 66 KG  
• No. 10 Max Hanson - Pedigo Submission Fighting - 66 KG 
• No. 13 Owen Jones - Team Europe - 66 KG 
• No. 6 PJ Barch - 10th Planet - 88 KG
• No. 9 Jozef Chen - B-Team Jiu Jitsu - 77 KG
• No. 12 Elijah Dorsey - Team Americas - 88 KG 
• No. 3 Ronaldo Junior - Team Atos - 77 KG
• No. 5 Chris Wojcik - B-Team Jiu Jitsu - 88 KG
• No. 6 Jacob Couch - Pedigo Submission Fighting - 88 KG
• No. 8 Charles Negromonte - Team Europe - 99KG
• No. 10 Ryan Aitken - 10th Planet - 99KG 
• No. 14 Paul Ardilla - Team Europe - 88 KG 
• No. 15 Taylor Pearman - Team Americas - 99 KG

Watch BJJ On FloGrappling

FloGrappling is the streaming home to the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu events and news coverage. FloGrappling is the streaming home of: 

• ADCC
• IBJJF
• WNO
• And more!

Join The BJJ Conversation By Following FloGrappling On Social

• Follow us on Twitter @flograppling
• Follow us on Instagram @flograppling
• Watch us on YouTube
• Like us on Facebook