Australian grappling sensation Craig Jones’s latest venture aims to go head-to-head against the prestigious ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) grappling tournament! The CJI (Craig Jones Invitational) is an effort from the two-time ADCC silver medalist to provide a more lucrative financial avenue for grapplers to compete in.
Set to take place from August 16th to 17th, the CJI has already got an impressive line-up of competitors raring to go. The prize? A $1 million purse for the winner from both brackets in the tournament. With considerable hype already surrounding the event, let’s delve into what the pay-outs will be for some of the biggest names in the grappling world set to feature at the CJI!
How much are Craig Jones, Gabi Garcia, Mackenzie Dern and Ffion Davies earning at CJI?
During his appearance on the JRE (Joe Rogan Experience) MMA Show no. 157, Craig Jones had left the host stunned by dumping $1 million prize money on Rogan’s desk! As the conversation delved into the CJI and its details, Jones revealed that the event is set up as a non-profit with a portion of the ticket sales marked for donation to a charity chosen by the athletes.
One of the biggest fights at the event is the clash between Jones and Gabi Garcia. A four-time ADCC gold medal champion, Garcia is a phenomenal grappler and competitor. In a recent conversation with MMA Fighting, the Brazilian was asked to share the details of her CJI contract. Garcia confessed that while she is aware of the speculation and numbers being thrown around, she can’t reveal the exact amount. She explained that, “I can’t say how much it is because my contract doesn’t allow me to, but it’s more than $200,000. But I’ve already doubled that with sponsors — or tripled, I think.”
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(@bjj.worldtv)Another massive name that was secured by the CJI is Mackenzie Dern, UFC women’s strawweight star and jiu-jitsu phenom. The former no. 1 ranked IBJJF competitor recently pulled back the curtain on why she chose CJI over ADCC. Speaking on the ‘Beasts with Brains’ podcast, Dern revealed that, “The biggest motivation was the purse and that they were going to pay the women’s fight such a good amount for a super fight,”
Dern is slated to face off against Ffion Davies, a 2022 ADCC champion and 2-time IBJJF world champion. While there isn’t any information about their pay-outs, the CJI is offering a guaranteed $10,001 pay for every athlete that shows up to the event. As such, Davies and Dern will make the guaranteed money outside of whatever contracts they may have negotiated with Jones and the CJI and bonuses for submissions etc. But for Gabi Garcia, the decision to compete in CJI instead of the ADCC comes at a heavy price. In her conversation with MMA Fighting, the Brazilian grappler detailed why she chose the CJI and her plans for the future with ADCC!
Gabi Garcia gives up a shot at ADCC Hall of Fame for CJI
Standing at an imposing 6’2 tall, Gabi Garcia will be taking on Craig Jones in a unique match-up at the CJI. According to Garcia, she had previously been offered the chance to compete against male grapplers but the financial benefits never aligned with the risks involved. However, she recently shared that, “He’s (Jones) revolutionizing the game with this idea, and for me it’s good marketing.”
By throwing in her cards with the CJI, Garcia has now missed out on the chance to be inducted into the ADCC Hall of Fame. Explaining her thought process behind the call, Garcia explained that, “It wasn’t an easy decision because this is the first time the ADCC has an absolute division for women, which was a dream of mine. That and the Hall of Fame, which they took from me… ”
However, the Brazilian confessed that that the ADCC will always “be there” and she isn’t opposed to the idea of competing under its banner in the future. To wrap things up, with a $1 million prize for each tournament bracket and a lineup of top-tier athletes, the CJI has quickly become the talk of the sport. It promises not only thrilling matchups but also a potential shift in the landscape of competitive grappling in terms of athlete pay. What are your thoughts on Craig Jones’s attempts at changing the financial fortunes of grapplers with the CJI? Let us know in the comments below!
The post CJI Payout: How Much Are Gabi Garcia, Mackenzie Dern, Ffion Davies Earning at Craig Jones Invitational; Estimated Salary & More appeared first on EssentiallySports.
