Craig Jones is all set to go head-to-head with the world-famous Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) this weekend. In a long-anticipated and often teased inter-gender grappling match, Jones will take on nine-time ADCC champion Gabi Garcia. At least, that was the plan until he complicated things with his ‘friendly’ expression.
In a video that quickly spread online, Jones was observed embracing Garcia’s face and proceeding to kiss the athlete. This surprising action caught Garcia off guard. She immediately pushed Jones away and appeared to be furious about the incident. Garcia accused Jones of overstepping boundaries and decided to call off the inter-gender fight right then and there.
You re a b*tch man. Craig really? F*ck you man, you crossed the line, you crossed the line
Gabi Garcia’s immediate reaction
While the camera crews attempted to film Garcia’s reaction, she angrily swatted the camera lens away. However, according to Jones, his actions were seemingly meant for good fun. In response to the disorder that followed, Craig Jones later uploaded a video of the incident.
The jiu-jitsu artist posted with a caption stating, “Matches called off. It appears that Brazilians don’t have a sense of humor.” However, there is no official confirmation regarding the fight’s cancellation. Interestingly, Jones’ statement above could be seen as another attempt to provoke Gabi Garcia.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is rapidly gaining popularity within the fighting community. The Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) is at the forefront of promoting this discipline and has been instrumental in its rising popularity. Even athletes who are not solely grapplers, such as MMA fighters and UFC contenders like Mackenzie Dern, have eagerly seized the opportunity to participate in this flourishing sport.
Craig Jones reveals the minimum prize money for the athletes competing in Craig Jones Invitational
Craig Jones is a two-time silver medalist in ADCC. Interestingly, he sought to launch a similar tournament to improve fighter compensation. Following this, the ADCC tried to sabotage Jones’ plan. They even gave the Australian BJJ expert death threats. However, Jones remained unfazed by all of that.
Craig Jones and Joe Rogan at the Joe Rogan Experience MMA show (Image via YouTube)The Craig Jones Invitational tournament has gained extensive attention following its spotlight in a podcast episode featuring Joe Rogan. Interestingly, Jones sparked controversy during the conversation about his competition by disclosing that he had brought $1 million in cash as the prize for the fighters. Despite the undisclosed funding source, the sum remains sufficient to entice fighters to compete at CJI.
A lot of event don’t pay a lot of money… We’re going to pay $10,001 to show up. $10,000 from the event, and $1 from me personally.
Craig Jones via JRE MMA Show #157-Advertisement-
‘Craig Jones: ‘We’re going to pay $10,001 to show up. $10,000 from the event, and $1 from me personally.’ – on his upcoming Jiu-Jitsu tournament’s prize money on The Joe Rogan Experience’ pic.twitter.com/yq9z9ckWQE
— podcastmentions.com – books mentioned on podcasts (@PodMentions) May 28, 2024
The upcoming tournament will showcase a lineup of elite fighters, with the inclusion of former UFC fighter Luke Rockhold and the 2022 ADCC gold medalist Ffion Davies. The community’s excitement is palpable as the fight day draws near. However, there is uncertainty surrounding the Jones vs. Garcia fight following the Australian’s recent actions.
