LIVE! Craig Jones Invitational Results, Streaming Bracket Updates – Day 2

Watch the final day of the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) tournament and see who wins $1 million cash prize.

Day 1 of the first-ever Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) Brazilian jiu-jitsu tournament is in the books (complete results here), and what a wild, long ride that was.

To sum up very briefly, Nicky Rodriguez choked people like a man on a mission, Kade Ruotolo and Andrew Tackett are on an amazing collision course and the fields of 16 have been whittled down to four.

Day 2 starts this afternoon, (Sat., Aug. 17, 2024) at 8 p.m. ET from inside Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. The event will be stream free on YouTube and right here.

Tonight, we’ve got the two bracket semi-finals and finals, as well as the super fights between founder and namesake, Craig Jones, who will go against nine-time gold medalist, Gabi Garcia. While Jones doesn’t have as many accolades as Garcia, his youth and athleticism are making him a huge betting favorite heading into this matchup.

The other non-tournament fight is between former ADCC champion and UFC star, Mackenzie Dern, and the current ADCC champ, Ffion Davies.

Day 1 was filled with cool stuff like this knee crusher (think calf rusher, but reverse grip basically) from Lucas Barbosa on Jozef Chen that is one of the favorites to get the $50,000 best submission bonus:

Oh, and there’s more highlights here and here, too.

Craig Jones Invitational Day 2 Quick Results:

Under 80 kg semifinals:

Levi Jones-Leary vs. Lucas Barbosa — Jones-Leary def. Barbosa via decision (30-26 x2, 29-27)
Kade Ruotolo vs. Andrew Tackett — Ruotolo def. Tackett via decision (29-28, 29-27, 27-29)

Over 80kg semifinals:

Nicky Rodriguez vs. Adam Bradley — Rodriguez def. Bradley via submission (Rear naked choke), Round 3, 3:12 — HIGHLIGHTS!
Inacio Santos vs. Fellipe Andrew — Andrew def. Santos via submission (Heel hook), Round 2, 4:39

80kg+ finale:

Nicky Rodriguez vs. Fellipe Andrew – Rodriguez defeats Andrew (Rear naked choke), Round 1, 3:28

Super Fights:

Mackenzie Dern vs. Ffion Davies — Davies def. Dern via submission (Reverse triangle armbar), Round 2, 0:44 — HIGHLIGHTS!
Gabi Garcia vs. Craig Jones — Jones def. Garcia via submission (Rear naked choke), Round 2, 4:38 — HIGHLIGHTS!

Nicky Rodriguez vs. Adam Bradley – Bradley pulls guard, and Rodriguez settles into half. Bradley with one butterfly. Very slow pace. Rodriguez gets chest-to-chest. Nothing much to write home about.

3x 10-9 Rodriguez per the open scoring being employed here.

Nick stuffs a takedown and threatens a D’arce for a split second before Bradley gets out of it and gets to half guard. Bradley tries for a leg, but Rodriguez breaks that grip and nearly immediately gets to mount. Nick works on an arm triangle, eventually bails on it. Two minutes to go. He goes for a mounted triangle, slips over to a reverse triangle. He realizes he wasn’t able to get the correct angle and bails on it, just to immediately hit a blast double. He gets the back with about 15 seconds to go.

10-8 x2, 10-7 x1 for Rod

Rodriguez pushes Bradley to the angled wall and settles down in half guard. He gets mount with about 3 minutes to go. Bradley eventually gives up the back… body triangle… goes for the RNC… and there it is. Methodical strangulation by Nicky Rod

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Inacio Santos vs. Fellipe Andrew – The announce team just told us that Santos has a powerlifting total of over 1500 lbs. and as someone that just barely broke the 1,000 lb. club, that is very impressive for someone who is also a top-level BJJ competitor. Andrew defends a single-leg very well. Andrew manages to get in on a leg and they’re rolling. Santos manages to avoid both a calf crusher and a heel hook. Andrew gets the back briefly, nearly gets a kneebar, but Santos gets out of it. Santos with a front headlock.

10-9 for Andrew

Andrew stuffs a takedown, manages to eventually spin around to the back and get a hook in. Andrew gives up on the back and floats over to mount. Santos gets to deep half and gets out of the mount, but Andrew slaps on a reverse triangle. Santos worms his way out of that and hits a blast double to get on top in guard. Santos hits what looks like a painful takedown on Andrew up against the wall. Andrew hits a scramble, gets to the back of Santos’ leg and there’s a heel hook!

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Levi Jones-Leary vs. Lucas Barbosa – LJL into guard immediately, fights for the back of the leg, can’t get it. Barbosa dives into guard so hard he basically headbutted Levy in his stomach. Not much happening here at all.

10-9 splits, two for Jones-Leary, one for Barbosa

Guard pull again. Barbosa gets out of position and LJL scoots under to get a leg. He can’t keep the grip, and Barbosa is out. This same scenario repeats. One minute left and Jones-Leary again gets to the legs, and again forcing Barbosa to disengage and save his lower limbs.

10-9 across the board for LJL

Much better start for Jones-Leary as he immediately threatens an armbar. He transitions off it to go to the back. He’s got the body triangle, too. Barbosa fights off the triangle, but can’t get out of the back control. Jones-Leary with a sweet re-take of said triangle. Santos rolling, trying to get the foot to the floor so he can get out of it, but Levi is switching legs as if his life depended on it.

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Kade Ruotolo vs. Andrew Tackett – They start off fighting each other up against the wall. Tackett surviving with some great balance as they scramble and bounce off the walls. Tackett jumps the back and he gets it! And he slaps on the body triangle. Tackett working for the RNC, but Ruotolo manages to worm his way free and he’s standing. Ruotolo tries a foot sweep, no dice. Throw by Ruotolo on top in half guard. Tackett regains full. Can opener goes nowhere.

10-9 Tackett

Clinch work for the first minute from both men. Kade off-balances Tackett against the wall, but he can’t hold onto his man. Ruotolo counters a single-leg attempt with a heel hook. Tackett is out. They’re fighting and Ruotolo gets a hip toss and is on top. D’arce attempt by Ruotolo, gives it up. Now he tries to get it on the other side. It’s a lot closer this time, but still no finish. Full guard now. Tackett opens his guard, tries for a leg and gets a calf slicer. Ruotolo counters with a toe hold.

10-9 x2, 10-8 for Ruotolo

Tackett immediately shoots a double, gets the back momentarily but can’t maintain it and settles into full guard. Tackett trying to pass, Ruotolo scrambles, Tackett jumps the back, but Ruotolo shakes him off. Kade tries for a shoulder lock. Ruotolo times a double-leg well and he lands in half guard. Tackett retains full guard. Tackett wrestles up, but into a standing D’arce. Ruotolo sits down, gets his legs pulled out. Tackett trying to extricate himself, but can’t do it. Ruotolo switches to a guillotine, then a gogoplata at the horn.

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Mackenzie Dern vs. Ffion Davies – Davies gets Dern to the wall and gets Dern on her butt. Dern tries deep half, but Davies puts her weight down and ends that. She’s on top in side control. Davies tries to get mount, but lands in half. She gets back into a full guard, and Davies backs up. Davies passes the legs back into side. They scramble and Davies gets the back. She flattens Dern out and ends the bell.

10-8 across the board for Davies

Davies with a head and arm throw, Dern scrambling, but ends up in a reverse triangle. Davies grabs her arm and re-adjusts the legs… there’s the tap!

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Gabi Garcia vs. Craig Jones – Jones immediately dives to a leg, but Garcia stuffs it. Garcia gets the back, Jones rolls for a leg. Guard for Jones. Tosses up a triangle, rotates to a reverse triangle. She gets out, Jones winds up on top in a quarter guard briefly. Jones with a flying mount, but more of a teabag. Heel hook for Garcia, he gets out and goes for an arm. Jones tosses her hair in her face to distract her. Garcia rolls for a toe hold. Jones rolls, tries to get the back, not quite there. Steps over with 15 seconds left, but gets reversed. Looks like Jones is playing with his meal.

10-9 Jones across the board

Jones with a lazy Imanari roll, gets sprawled on. Jones reverses, north south. Goes for a kimura, remembers that he bet on himself to win by leg lock and lets it go. He goes for a twister, and looks like he’s actually trying for this one. She gets out, brief calf crusher position, but she gets out. RNC attempt, but the hair protects her. He dives for a heel hook with about 2 minutes left, and Garcia is just no selling it. Now Gabi works for an ankle lock. RNC attempt and finally, Garcia has to tap.

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Fellipe Andrew vs. Nicky Rodriguez – Andrew looks like he might keep it standing for a minute, but drops to guard after a few seconds. Rod dives down and gets close to the back. Andrew scrambles and manages to keep Rodriguez off. Half guard, and now Nick passes to side. Andrew turns a bit, which exposes his back a bit. He rolls to the back and HE GETS YET ANOTHER REAR NAKED CHOKE! HE GOES FOUR-FOR-FOUR ON REAR NAKED CHOKE FINISHES.

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For much more on the CJI tournament click here.