CJI 2 preview: A deep dive into the teams competing for $1 million
Check out our preview of the Quintet-style team competition at CJI 2, set to take place on August 30-31, 2025, in Las Vegas.
The second installment of the Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) is rapidly approaching. In addition to a four-woman, $100,000 tournament, CJI 2 will feature an eight-team, Quintet-style competition with a $1 million grand prize at stake.
Below, we take a closer look at what each squad of grapplers brings to the table.
How does the team competition at CJI 2 work?
The team-based competition at CJI 2 is inspired by Kazushi Sakuraba’s famed Quintet competition. Teams of five grapplers each (one representative at 66kg, 77kg, 88kg, 99kg, and +99kg) will compete in head-to-head matchups. Coaches will not know ahead of time which grappler the opposing team will put forward at any given time, so grapplers from different weight classes could face off.
The grapplers will compete in submission-only bouts under the CJI rules (three five-minute rounds scored under the 10-point must system). If a submission occurs, the winning grappler will remain on the mat to face the opposing team’s next competitor. In the event no submission occurs, both grapplers will leave the mat, and each team will send out its next competitor. The team with the most submissions wins the head-to-head matchup and advances to the next round of the tournament.
If no submission occurs in a team matchup, mat-side judges will score each bout individually, and the team with the most victories advances.
The teams
Team 10th Planet
- 66kg – Geo Martinez
- 77kg – Alan Sanchez
- 88kg – PJ Barch
- 99kg – Ryan Aitken
- +99kg – Kyle Boehm
Eddie Bravo’s 10th Planet squad brings arguably the most overall experience to the table.
At 66kg is longtime veteran Geo Martinez. A multiple-time EBI champion who has spent the past decade-plus competing on the elite no-gi circuit, Martinez might be in the twilight of his career, but his notoriously tough submission defense will likely serve him well in this ruleset.
EBI champion Alan Sanchez will represent the team at 77kg, and he’s undoubtedly motivated to prove that he belongs among the best of the best no matter the ruleset. While he’s scored EBI-rules wins over fellow CJI competitors Chris Wojcik and Jacob Couch, he’ll need to lean heavily on his solid submission defense and well-rounded submission game if he wants to pick up victories over some of the field’s more prominent competitors.
Multiple-time ADCC veteran PJ Barch will move up from his typical weight class of 77kg to compete at 88kg. With his collegiate wrestling background and ever-evolving leg lock game, Barch has firmly established himself as an elite competitor. His added size could help him better implement his dangerous takedown and back-taking game.
10th Planet Atlanta’s Ryan Aitken looks to be in peak form coming into CJI 2. Although he dropped a hard-fought decision against no-gi world champion Roberto Jimenez in his most recent outing, the well-rounded submission hunter has proven himself in a variety of rulesets. At 99kg, Aitken brings serious physicality that complements his craft leg-lock game, making him perhaps his team’s most dangerous weapon.
Rounding out Team 10th Planet is ADCC and CJI veteran Kyle Boehm. Despite his physically imposing look, Boehm is an excellent guard player and talented leg locker, which should make for some interesting stylistic clashes against opponents both large and small.
Team New Wave
- 66kg – Dorian Olivarez
- 77kg – Mica Galvao
- 88kg – Vagner Rocha
- 99kg – Giancarlo Bodoni
- +99kg – Luke Griffith
On paper, Team New Wave seems to be one of the early favorites. Led by renowned coach John Danaher, the squad will feature two wild-card picks and one grappler many consider to be the best overall pound-for-pound.
Leading the charge at 66kg is young black belt phenom Dorian Olivarez. Olivarez is a superb takedown artist with an absurd gas tank and a crafty front headlock game. An ADCC Trials champion who holds a victory over The B-Team’s Ethan Crelinsten, Olivarez has the physical tools and competition experience to take out much larger competitors.
Team New Wave’s first wild-card pick was the most significant addition to the event, as reigning 77kg ADCC world champion Mica Galvao will bring his talents to the CJI stage. An IBJJ super grand slam winner who hasn’t tasted defeat since suffering a stunning submission loss to Daisy Fresh’s Dante Leon in the absolute division of the 2024 ADCC World Championships, Galvao is an undeniable submission threat in practically every position. He already holds wins over fellow CJI competitors Jonnatas Gracie, Elijah Dorsey, PJ Barch, Kenta Iwamoto, and Leon, making him one of the field’s most dangerous grapplers.
At 88kg, the squad’s second wild-card pick will be longtime veteran Vagner Rocha, who fills in for an injured Dan Manasoiu. Known for his gritty and aggressive approach to grappling, Rocha’s practically impenetrable submission defense should serve him very well in this ruleset.
Reigning two-time ADCC champion Giancarlo Bodoni will move up one weight class to compete at 99kg. Given his ADCC accomplishments, the 29-year-old will have a target on his back as one of the field’s top competitors. Bodoni is a master technician with seemingly no holes in his game, but with losses to fellow CJI competitors Fabricio Andrey, Kaynan Duarte, and Dante Leon on his resume, he’s shown to be beatable under the right circumstances.
Finally, at +99kg, ADCC silver medalist Luke Griffith will look to further establish himself among the sport’s top heavyweights. Griffith is a skilled back-taker and a physically imposing athlete with the ability to take out practically any grappler on any team.
The B-Team
- 66kg – Ethan Crelinsten
- 77kg – Jozef Chen
- 88kg – Chris Wojcik
- 99kg – Nick Rodriguez
- +99kg – Victor Hugo
The B-Team is another star-studded early favorite.
Respected veteran Ethan Crelisten will represent the squad at 66kg. Widely recognized as one of the sport’s most entertaining grapplers and a superb back-taker, Crelisten thrives in the scrambles and possesses the veteran savvy to take out much larger athletes. He has already faced a number of other CJI competitors with mixed results.
At 77kg, Jozef Chen will look to live up to the massive hype surrounding him. The 21-year-old CJI veteran might be the event’s best overall guard passer – a skill set that might serve him well against larger opponents, if he’s able to put them on the mat. Notably, Chen has been submitted just twice in his professional career.
Leg lock specialist Chris Wojcik hopes to make waves at 88kg and build on his top-four finish at the 2024 ADCC World Championships. Wojcik is certainly no stranger to the elite scene, and his innovative leg locks could upset some more established grapplers.
Two-time ADCC silver medalist and CJI champion Nick Rodriguez will bring a top-tier takedown and guard passing game to CJI 2. At the inaugural CJI, he proved to be much more than just a wrestler, submitting all four of his opponents on his way to the $1 million prize. Rodriguez will come into this event following a dominant decision win over Kaynan Duarte that firmly established him among the top two or three heavyweights on the planet.
The B-Team’s lone wild-card pick will be used at +99kg, as decorated black belt Victor Hugo steps up. Despite his massive size, Hugo is a guard-playing specialist who will happily attack from his back, even against significantly smaller opponents. The Brazilian is undoubtedly motivated to erase the memories of his first-round exit at CJI 1 and remind fans why he’s so dangerous.
Team Australasia
- 66kg – Fabricio Andrey
- 77kg – Kenta Iwamoto
- 88kg – Lucas Kanard
- 99kg – Belal Etiabari
- +99kg – Declan Moody
Lachlan Giles’ Team Australasia might not have the biggest names of the event, but the squad certainly stands to make waves at CJI 2.
All-action fan-favorite Fabricio “Hokage” Andrey will be the team’s wild-card pick at 66kg, and if history is any indication, the Brazilian is a serious threat against any competitor, no matter the size. Andrey is an explosive, judo-style takedown artist and expert back-taker who will happily jump on a submission at a moment’s notice. It’s worth noting that Andrey holds impressive wins over the likes of heavyweight standout Owen Livesey, 88kg ADCC champion Giancarlo Bodoni, and 97kg IBJJF no-gi world champion Javier Zaruski.
Japan’s Kenta Iwamoto will represent the team at 77kg. A three-time ADCC Trials winner who excels in the wrestling department, Iwamoto, with his incredible pacing and well-rounded game, will be a tricky puzzle to solve.
At 88kg, CJI 1 breakout star Lucas Kanard returns to CJI 2. Kanard shocked the world at CJI 1 when he submitted the heavily favored Victor Hugo with a heel hook in the tournament’s first round. He’ll now look to build on that success and prove that win was no fluke. Look for Kanard to employ his ultra-aggressive open guard and leg-locking game against any opponent he faces.
Belal Etiabari impressed at the Team Australasia trials, and the physically imposing leg locker could make a huge statement at CJI 2. The New Zealander grapples at a terrifying pace for his size and will constantly hunt for the submission, no matter the opponent.
Fresh off an impressive submission win over Fellipe Andrew at WNO, Declan Moody hopes to keep the momentum going at +99kg. Although he displayed excellent leg locking skills against Andrew, Moody is typically a dominant guard passer with a knack for taking the back.
Team Americas
- 66kg – Gavin Corbe
- 77kg – Deandre Corbe
- 88kg – Elijah Dorsey
- 99kg – Taylor Pearman
- +99kg – Pat Downey
Led by Standard Jiu-Jitsu’s Greg Souders, Team Americas consists of elite grapplers from a variety of different teams.
The squad will be represented at 66kg by the first of two Corbe brothers, Gavin Corbe. The Standard Jiu-Jitsu athlete is extremely well-rounded with no obvious holes in his game, just as capable of finishing the match with a leg lock as he is hunting the back and finishing with a choke. While he’s undeniably a world-class grappler, Corbe stands to make a statement against some of the field’s more recognizable names.
Deandre Corbe will move up in weight to compete at 77kg. Like his brother, he’s a versatile grappler who can do it all, including takedowns, guard play, or passing. Earlier this year, he scored impressive wins over Diego “Pato” Oliveira and Josh Cisneros to rocket himself up the lightweight rankings and erase any doubt that he belongs among the best of the best.
Team Lloyd Irvin product Elijah Dorsey will also be moving up in weight to represent the squad at 88kg. An ADCC Trials winner and IBJJF European champion in the gi, Dorsey possesses a solid takedown and guard passing game that, with his added size, he might be able to implement against significantly larger opponents. Dorsey upset Dante Leon in the first round of the 2024 ADCC World Championships, and he hopes to score more career-defining victories at CJI 2.
The 99kg slot will be filled by yet another athlete moving up in weight, as ADCC European Trials champion Taylor Pearman serves as the team’s wild-card pick. Pearman is a very crafty leg locker who has put himself in position for a breakout performance against some of the sport’s biggest names at CJI 2.
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Team Americas is rounded out by standout wrestler Pat Downey at +99kg. While Downey is still relatively new to the world of submission grappling, he already boasts a CJI win over Luke Rockhold and is an IBJJF blue belt no-gi world champion. If Downey hopes to score points for his team, he’ll need to display his submission skills in addition to his already elite wrestling.
Team Europe
- 66kg – Owen Jones
- 77kg – Pawel Jaworski
- 88kg – Paul Ardila
- 99kg – Charles Negromonte
- +99kg – Marcin Maciulewicz
With a blend of established veterans and dangerous rising talents, Team Europe is a dark horse to make waves at CJI 2.
At 66kg is one of 2024’s breakout stars, Owen Jones. The outspoken Brit is an ADCC Trials champion who put the sport on notice at the 2024 ADCC World Championships when he submitted Gabriel Sousa and Gairbeg Ibragimov to make it to the tournament semifinals. Jones is a supremely talented submission hunter with a knack for finding the leg lock, making him a serious threat against any and all opponents.
Brown belt phenom Pawel Jaworski hopes to elevate himself to elite status at CJI 2. The Polish standout is a ruthless leg locker who has spent the past couple of years gradually climbing through the ranks, most recently defeating longtime veteran Oliver Taza at AIGA.
Team Europe’s 88kg representative will be Paul Ardila, one of the field’s most experienced competitors. The American Top Team Atlanta product is a four-time ADCC Trials champion who has recently been devoting more of his time to submission grappling. Given his veteran status, it’s perhaps no surprise that Ardila can do it all, from takedowns and guard passing to advanced guard play and leg locks.
At 99kg will be another decorated veteran, Charles Negromonte. A black belt since 2012 who’s racked up numerous titles in both gi and no-gi competition, Negromonte impressed in his first ADCC appearance last year, tapping perennial tough out Izaak Michell with a picture-perfect kneebar. He would subsequently lose to The B-Team’s Chris Wojcik in the next round, setting the stage for a potential rematch at CJI 2.
Finally, Team Europe’s +99kg representative will be “Polish Punisher” Marcin Maciulewicz. Maciulewicz is a fearlessly aggressive submission hunter and a talented leg locker who moves surprisingly well for an athlete of his size. Despite winning ADCC Trials gold and putting on impressive performances at the PGF, he remains in search of a true breakout performance that will solidify him as a truly elite talent.
Team Atos
- 66kg – Diego “Pato” Oliveira
- 77kg – Ronaldo Junior
- 88kg – Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa
- 99kg – Kaynan Duarte
- +99kg – Felipe Pena
On paper, Team Atos is likely the odds-on favorite to win the $1 million grand prize, with its lineup of ADCC champions and pound-for-pound stars.
Head coach Andre Galvao used his first wild-card pick in the 66kg division, where he’s bringing in arguably the sport’s most dangerous leg locker, Diego “Pato” Oliveira. A two-time IBJJF no-gi world champion and four-time world champion in the gi, “Pato” has spent the past couple of years as a mainstay of the sport’s pound-for-pound list. The Brazilian’s crafty guard and ruthless finishing abilities are a perfect fit for the CJI ruleset, and fans should look forward to “Pato” being a serious threat to take out any opponent regardless of weight class.
No-gi world champion Ronaldo Junior will represent the squad at 77kg. The Brazilian is a smart tactician, renowned for his explosive, high-energy guard passing. And while he possesses a dangerous front headlock game, he’ll need to be more aggressive with his overall submission attacks when competing in this format.
ADCC silver medalist and CJI semifinalist Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa returns to action in the 88kg division. As his nickname suggests, “Hulk” is a dominant athlete and one of the sport’s most powerful pound-for-pound grapplers. He complements that physicality with solid technique and submission skills, evidenced by his stunning calf-slicer win over Jozef Chen at CJI 1.
At 99kg will be reigning ADCC double-gold medal winner Kaynan Duarte. Like his teammates, Duarte is an exceptional athlete and a true master of strategy and tactics. Despite his somewhat slow approach to grappling, though, he’s shown to be a serious submission threat, as he submitted all but one of his eight opponents at the 2024 ADCC World Championships. Considering his size and skills, Duarte is one man who could take out an entire team on his own.
Team Atos’ second wild-card pick goes to reigning heavyweight ADCC world champion Felipe Pena, who will represent the squad at +99kg. Simply put, Pena is one of the best to ever do it and still looks to be at the top of his game. The Brazilian is a well-rounded grappler but is at his most dangerous when he’s playing guard and hunting the back.
Team Daisy Fresh
- 66kg – Max Hanson
- 77kg – Dante Leon
- 88kg – Jacob Couch
- 99kg – Michael Pixley
- +99kg – Brandon Reed
Team Daisy Fresh is packed with home-grown talent and is a dark horse to take home the $1 million.
At 66kg is Dante Leon black belt, Max Hanson, who has spent the past couple of years slowly making a name for himself as an undeniably elite talent. Hanson has found success at a variety of weight classes, but now that he’ll be competing at his natural weight, he’s likely to be in top form.
Dante Leon is one of the sport’s most technical grapplers and a longtime mainstay of the pound-for-pound list. The Canadian powerhouse recently dropped a hard-fought decision to Tye Ruotolo in ONE Championship, but his sensational submission victory over Mica Galvao at the 2024 ADCC World Championships remains one of the biggest wins of his storied career. Fans should expect to see Leon hold his own against much larger competitors.
Daisy Fresh’s 88kg slot will be filled by leg lock specialist Jacob “The Hillbilly Hammer” Couch. A black belt under head coach Heath Pedigo, Couch is a bona fide finisher, boasting submission victories over the likes of Elder Cruz, Jay Rodriguez, and Achilles Rocha.
Michael Pixley enjoyed a breakout year in 2024 with his upset win over Nicholas Meregali, and he’s undoubtedly motivated to keep the ball rolling at CJI 2. With his background in collegiate wrestling, Pixley is one of the sport’s best takedown artists, but his ever-evolving front headlock game is what makes him a dangerous opponent for any man at the event.
Rounding out Team Daisy Fresh at +99kg is another elite wrestler, three-time NAIA national champion Brandon Reed. Although Reed is primarily regarded as a wrestler, make no mistake, he has the physical tools and all-around skill to be a serious submission threat. And, despite competing in the heavyweight division, Reed moves like a much lighter athlete and possesses a deep gas tank – attributes that will serve him well in this team format.
Be sure to check back on Grappling Insider for a preview of the women’s bracket at CJI 2 and further coverage of the event.
How to watch: CJI 2 takes place on August 30-31, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada, and will air live and free on YouTube beginning at 9:00 PM EST each night.
