LIVE! Craig Jones Invitational Results, Streaming Bracket Updates – Day 1

Live updates of the biggest grappling tournament to happen in years!

Welcome to the biggest weekend of the year in the grappling world.

While Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) takes place in Las Vegas, across town, the first-ever Craig Jones Invitational (CJ) is starting this evening (Fri., Aug. 16, 2024) at 6 p.m. ET from inside Thomas & Mack Center.

The event will be stream free on YouTube and right here.

A quick, Cliffs Notes version of how this event came to be. Craig Jones found someone with some money to burn. Jones talked said person into giving more money to every competitor in this grappling tournament than the big main rival (ADCC) gives to its winners. Since the guaranteed money is even bigger than the top prize at ADCC, Jones was able to lure many of the top competitors away from the ADCC to his own gig, like the Ruotolo brothers, Nicky Ryan, Luke Rockhold, Nicky Rodriguez and many more.

Indeed, it was super hard to say, “No.”

For Jones, it made more sense for him to not enter the tournament, but to compete with someone else in a “super” fight. And here’s where the ridiculousness comes in. He’s going to roll against four-time ADCC gold medalist and five-time IBJJF gold medalist, Gabi Garcia. Yes, the “She Hulk” of the grappling world is going lock horns with Jones, also a grappling star, winner of the IBJJF World No-Gi Championships in 2015, two-time ADCC silver medalist and four-time Polaris champion. That’s enough of an alphabet soup between the two stars to fill up an entire Scrabble board.

The build up to the super-fight has been nothing but comedy. Newer fans might not recognize the mediator, but for folks 10 years ago, Renato Laranja was a comedic mainstay in this space. Former actor-turned 10th-Planet BJJ black belt, Rhasaan Orange’s alter-ego has been egging on the two combatants with raunchy jokes that fly out quicker than Big Macs during lunch rush.

As if all this fun stuff wasn’t enough, Jones upped the ante by publicly betting $100,000 on himself to win by leglock. Just to twist the dagger into Garcia a bit. However, we’ll have to wait until Day 2 for that match, the “super” fight for Day 1 is going to be No. 8-seeded Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Strawweight and four-time gold medalist at ADCC, IBJJF and No Gi Worlds, Mackenzie Dern, taking on seven-time gold medalist and reigning ADCC champion, Ffion Davies.

Craig Jones Invitational Day 1 Quick Results:

Under 80 kg:

Tye Ruotolo vs. Jason Nolf — Ruotolo def. Nolf via submission (kneebar), Round 3, 4:16
Roberto Jimenez vs Levi Jones-Leary — Jones-Leary def. Jimenez via submission (heel hook), Round 1, 2:56
Lucas Barbosa vs. Kenta Iwamoto
Jozef Chen vs. Andy Varela
Kade Ruotolo vs. Matheus Diniz
Renato Canuto vs. Tommy Langaker
Magid Hage vs. Eoghan O’Flanagan
Nicky Ryan vs. Andrew Tackett

Over 80kg:

Nicky Rodriguez vs. Max Gimenis — Rodriguez def. Gimenis via submission (rear-naked choke), Round 2, 1:45 — HIGHLIGHTS!
Owen Livesey vs. Mahamed Aly — Livesey def. Aly via decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-27)
Adam Bradley vs. Kyle Boehm — Bradley def. Boehm via decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
Luke Rockhold vs. Pat Downey — Downey def. Rockhold via decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-25)
Victor Hugo vs. Lucas Kanard — Kanard def. Hugo via submission (inside heel hook), Round 1, 1:10 — HIGHLIGHTS!
Inacio Santos vs. Pedro Alex — Santos def. Alex via decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
Fellipe Andrew vs. Daniel Greg Kerkvliet — Andrew def. Kerkvliet via decision (30-27 x2, 30-26)
William Tackett vs. Joao Gabriel Rocha — Rocha def. Tackett via decision (29-27 x2, 29-26)

Quarterfinal round

Nicky Rodriguez vs. Owen Livesey — Rodriguez def. Livesey via submission (rear naked choke) Round 1, 3:40
Adam Bradley vs. Pat Downey — Bradley def. Downey via decision (29-28 x2, 28-29)
Lucas Kanard vs. Inacio Santos — Santos def. Kanard via decision (29-28 x3)
Felipe Andrew vs. Joao Gabriel Rocha — Andrew def. Rocha via decision (30-27 x3)

Super fight: Mackenzie Dern vs. Ffion Davies

Tye Ruotolo vs. Jason Nolf to open up the -80kg division (now 5 hours after the start). Ruotolo tries for a single-leg against the Penn St. wrestler, which is ballsy. Foot sweep by Nolf, but Ruotolo bounces back up. Nolf with a double leg, directly into an guillotine. Ruotolo loses his grip and Nolf stands. Nolf with a single leg, but zero control.

10-9 Ruotolo on two cards per the judges, one 10-9 to Nolf.

Nolf tries a flying armbar, but just goes flying off instead. Nolf catches a foot trip attempt and slams Ruotolo. Nolf gets a double-leg momentarily, but he’s able to scramble out instantaneously. Nolf turtling, working on a leg and making sure Ruotolo can’t take the back. Nolf stands up into a reverse triangle. He tries to slam Nolf into the wall, but it locks on the triangle a little tighter. Nolf survives the round.

10-9 Ruotolo x2, 10-8 Ruotolo

Ruotolo looking aggressive to start here. This is all stand-up grappling so far halfway through the round. Snapdowns, leg kick/trip attempts, collar ties. Ruotolo tries a jumping guillotine, gets smushed down to the canvas. Ruotolo with a reap, goes for a shoulder lock as they tumble to the ground. Brief attempt at a buggy choke. Ruotolo goes under and looks for a kneebar — and gets it! Only 44 seconds left on the clock.

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MATCH #1 Nicky Rodriguez vs. Max Gimenis in 80kg+ action: MG with the 57 lb. weight advantage in this matchup. Nicky Rod is the #1 seed in this bracket. They start in a collar tie. Max with a trip attempt that was more a low kick than anything. Rodriguez goes after a single-leg, Gimenis with a whizzer and smushes Rodriguez into the wall. They clash and Max gets pushed towards the wall before planting his feet and flinging Rodriguez into the barrier. He gets on top for a brief second, but Rodriguez manages to stand. Gimenis gets a stalling warning for backing up.

Open scoring shows the judges have it 10-9 Rodriguez after Rd. 1

Rodriguez drops to a knee and plays guard for a moment, which proves very successful and he gets a takedown and acquires top position. He almost gets the back, but Max turns and gets to a near standing position. Front headlock by Nick and he uses it to snap down and get the back. Max reclaims half guard. Deep half by Max and he’s up. NRod with a blast double and he gets Max down on the wall. Mount by Nicky. Max turns. Body triangle. Nicky goes for a rear naked choke and he gets the tap!

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MATCH #4 Luke Rockhold vs. Pat Downey

Rockhold tries a guard pull early, which is interesting. Downey trying to get to side control, nothing doing. Luke gets hung up on the ramp and Downey yanks his legs out from underneath him. Full guard for Luke. He switches to butterfly hooks. Luke trying to stand, Downey using the side to his advantage and nearly passes to mount. Luke creates a scramble and stands. They reset in center mat. Luke confusingly turns his back and gets smushed back to the side of the ramp. Downey avoids a guillotine attempt and into side control.

10-9 times two for Downey and a 10-8 as well on the judges scorecard for this round.

Luke tries for a trip, but Downey avoids it and gets the back into a takedown. He gets the back as Luke is by the corner. Rockhold regains guard finally nearly two minutes in. They’re back to center mat and Rockhold is looking tired. Takedown by Pat, Luke manages to scramble to full guard.

Downey running away with this, 10-9, 10-9, 10-8.

Downey with a big slam and Rockhold winces as he rubs his back. Downey shit talking a bit with him now. He dumps Luke onto his butt. Rockhold gets mushed into the corner. He high fives Demetrious Johnson in the front row and Downey uses it to jump into a rear-naked choke. Rockhold agrees to guard, but can’t use it to any effect. Downey outmuscling Rockhold all over the place, despite a 30 pound weight disadvantage. They’re play slapping each other now, which gets the ref involved to admonish the two of them.

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MATCH #5 Lucas Kanard vs. Victor Hugo

Kanard goes for guard early. He gets Hugo off balance and now Hugo is the one playing guard. Kanard drops for an inside heel hook and GETS IT! Enormous upset! Hugo was the #1 seed!

Quarterfinal match #1, Nicky Rodriguez vs. Owen Livesey

Nicky into guard immediately, changes pace to a collar tie. Slight clash of heads, but both men pause to make sure the other is OK. Rodriguez shoots a single, pushes him into the wall and gets the takedown. Rod on the back, one hook in. Livesey tries to shake him off, Rodriguez rolls through. Two minutes to go. He finally gets a second hook in, and he immediately flattens out Livesey. Rear naked choke and there’s the tap.

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Some fun notes on some of the lesser-known matches: Brady/Boehm immediately went into a guard/leglock battle from the get. The technicalities of that one were too fast for nearly anyone to follow every detail, but it sure was fun to try. I’d hate to be a judge on some of those rounds.

Santos/Alex had some fun scrambles here and there, but heavyweight grappling that doesn’t go to a finish is akin to heavyweight MMA that doesn’t go to a finish.

Rocha survived the early whirlwind action from Tackett to land a big takedown in the third and stay in mount, threatening an arm triangle the entire round. It earned him two 10-8’s and the first 10-7 of the night en route to a decision win.

Bradley’s technicality helped propel him to a close win over the more physical Pat Downey in the quarters. Crowd wasn’t too happy, but them’s the scoring criteria.

Rocha got a gnarly cut from a clash of heads early against Andrew and they said they couldn’t tape it (due to the hair, I guess), so he just bled the whole match.

Levi Jones-Leary grabbed a heel hook and held onto it for close to a minute before Jimenez tapped.

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For much more on the upcoming CJI tournament click here.