CJI results and highlights from day 2
The inaugural CJI takes place on August 16-17, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. View results and highlights from the second day of action here.
The first-ever Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) kicks off on Friday, August 16, live from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada.
The blockbuster event will feature two 16-man brackets – one above and one below 80kg – each with a $1 million prize on the line. Day one saw athletes compete in the round of 16 and quarterfinal matches, while day two will feature the semifinals and finals of each division, as well as a pair of superfights. In one, top pound-for-pound grappler Ffion Davies will take on former ADCC champion and current UFC contender Mackenzie Dern. In the other, tournament organizer Craig Jones will square off with multiple-time ADCC and IBJJF world champion Gabi Garcia in an inter-gender match.
Grapplers can win by submission or decision, and matches consist of three five-minute rounds with mat-side judges scoring each round on a 10-point must system.
Watch the event free on YouTube here.
CJI results – Day 2
+80kg semifinals
Nick Rodriguez def. Adam Bradley via submission (rear-naked choke). Rodriguez employed his trademark body-lock guard passing to take a commanding lead through the opening two rounds before closing the show with a beautiful back-take and rear-naked choke, marking his third straight RNC finish of the event.
Fellipe Andrew def. Inacio Santos via submission (heel hook). Andrew displayed a well-rounded, aggressive game through the opening round and almost all of the second before finding his way into the back-side 50-50 for a beautiful heel hook finish. The gi specialist will square off with Rodriguez in the division’s final with $1 million on the line.
-80kg semifinals
Levi Jones-Leary def. Lucas Barbosa via decision. The two grapplers were neck-and-neck after the first two rounds, with Jon-Leary predictably attacking from his guard while “Hulk” looked to pressure pass. In the third frame, Jones-Leary was finally able to find Barbosa’s back and ride out the final few minutes in dominant position to earn his spot in the final.
Kade Ruotolo def. Andrew Tackett via decision. Ruotolo and Tackett delivered the best match of 2024 so far, and certainly one of the best in recent memory.
Tackett opened up in a big way, taking Ruotolo’s back in the opening minute. Ruotolo roared back in the second round with a deep d’arce choke attempt and some good work on the feet. The third round delivered five minutes of dramatic, back-and-forth action, with Tackett taking the back early and Ruotolo firing back with another choke attempt that likely sealed the decision in his favor after fifteen breathless minutes of scramble-heavy, elite grappling.
+80kg final
Nick Rodriguez def. Fellipe Andrew via submission (rear-naked choke), first round. Nick Rodriguez needed less than four minutes to become submit Fellipe Andrew and become a millionaire.
Andrew sat to guard early, only to see Rodriguez get quickly to work with his trademark body-lock passing. The Brazilian defended and scrambled well, but eventually, Rodriguez was able to create back exposure and sink in his fourth consecutive rear-naked choke.
After the match, Rodriguez challenged former teammate Gordon Ryan to a $1 million “winner take all” bet match.
-80kg final
Kade Ruotolo def. Levi Jones-Leary via decision. Jones-Leary jumped out to an early lead with effective guard play that often led to deep leg entanglements. Around the midway point of the match, though, Ruotolo shifted his top game strategy to focus more on pressure passing, and that seemed to make the difference, as he took the lead – and win – on the judges’ scorecards.
Superfight: Craig Jones def. Gabi Garcia via submission (rear-naked choke), second round. Jones was in the driver’s seat for the entirety of the contest, which came to an end in the waning seconds of the second round with Jones sinking in a rear-naked choke.
Superfight: Ffion Davies def. Mackenzie Dern via submission (shoulder lock), second round. Davies out-classed Dern from the opening bell, quickly taking top position before slicing through the guard and moving to the back. Dern would survive to the second round, but it was more of the same. Davies landed a big throw, secured the back again, and locked in a reverse triangle before closing the show with a shoulder lock.
