Apart from his impressive striking ability, former UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski also holds a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This might have prompted some BJJ athletes to look for a crossover super fight. Interestingly, Mikey Musumeci, a four-time BJJ world champion, talked about the possibility of a match between him and Volkanovski.
Mikey Musumeci recently did a podcast episode with Demetrious Johnson. The 28-year-old discussed several things, including the Craig Jones Invitational tournament. During the discussion, Musumeci revealed that the super-fight between him and Alexander Volkanovski was supposed to happen at the CJI. Moreover, Craig Jones, the founder, was quite excited to see the 28-year-old and Volkanovski grapple.
He (Craig Jones) wasn’t able to another million dollar division so instead I’m just like I just want to support your I love what you’re doing. I’ll do the match 100% for charity, zero money for me, we were completely free, we’re just going to donate all the money to charity, me and Volk (Alexander Volkanovski), and I knew that that would be a great match for us…
Mikey Musumeci to Demetrious Johnson on his YouTube channel (@mighty)
Per Musumeci, the former UFC champion had some issues that he had to pull out. Not only that, the 28-year-old also believed that the matchup between him and Volkanovski would have garnered a lot of attention. However, even though they did not fight, Craig Jones’ CJI was still a massive hit, in terms of popularity. Jones, himself with his jolly nature, put out a show during his entrance.
Mikey Musumeci Nearly Competed In a Super Fight at CJI vs Alexander Volkanovski?!
Mikey Describes His Desire To Have Competed at CJI, The Original Plan For The Match With Volk and How It Fell Apart.
🎥 @MightyMouse pic.twitter.com/p68pMPU8Aq
— Lock-In Jiu-Jitsu (@lockinjiujitsu) September 3, 2024
A super fight between Musumeci and Volkanovski might have elevated the popularity of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu tournaments more. However, that didn’t happen. Apart from that several other contests took place at the CJI. Craig Jones himself fought against Gabi Garcia, which was an intergender matchup. This matchup, in particular, played a major role in the event’s success.
Is there any common connection between CJI and Alexander Volkanovski?
The former UFC featherweight champion, Alexander Volkanovski, and CJI share a common link in the form of Craig Jones. Jones is renowned for his mastery of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Interestingly, leveraging his exceptional skills in grappling, he actively contributes to the enhancement of Volkanovski’s grappling techniques.
Alexander Volkanovski and Craig Jones together (Image via Instagram)Jones has consistently remained by Volk’s side, showing unwavering support. His most recent appearance was during Volkanovski’s fight against Islam Makhachev at UFC 294. In addition to his steadfast camaraderie with the 35-year-old, Jones is known for his charismatic personality outside the fighting arena. He is often observed engaging in various intriguing side pursuits, adding depth to his persona.
Craig Jones has also been known to openly ridicule other well-known fighters within the community on multiple occasions. His ongoing rivalry with fellow competitor Gordon Ryan adds an extra layer of fascination to his life story. However, amidst that, Jones and Volkanovski share a strong bond and frequently appear together in public, showcasing their close connection.
