A four-woman tournament with $100,000 on the line will be featured at CJI 2.
The second installment of the Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) is rapidly approaching, and event co-founder Craig Jones recently announced that the event will include a four-woman bracket with $100,000 in prize money up for grabs.
Notably, Jones didn’t share any details about the weight class, ruleset, or format of this mini-tournament. He also didn’t name any potential competitors, but rather left it up to fans to tag their favorite female grapplers in the comments.
Without a weight class yet decided, it’s difficult to determine who might be competing at CJI 2, but top potential names include ADCC champions like Ffion Davies, Adele Fornarino, and Rafaela Guedes. Other possible competitors include young phenoms such as Helena Crevar, Sarah Galvao, and Cassia Moura, or more established veterans like Brianna Ste-Marie, Elisabeth Clay, and Amy Campo.
The inaugural CJI in 2024 hosted one women’s match – a superfight between consensus pound-for-pound queen Ffion Davies and former ADCC champion turned current UFC contender Mackenzie Dern. Davies dominated that match before securing a submission finish.
While the first CJI was largely celebrated as a massive step forward for the sport of submission grappling, some fans criticized the event for its lack of female representation and opportunity. The $100,000 prize available at CJI 2 likely represents the largest payday ever seen in women’s grappling.
Beyond the four-woman tournament, CJI 2 will feature a team-based competition with eight squads of five grapplers each competing against each other in Quintet-style matches for a $1 million prize. View the complete and up-to-date list of competitors here.
Finally, CJI 2 will see a unique superfight clash between Craig Jones himself and decorated American wrestler Gable Steveson.
How to watch: CJI 2 takes place on August 30-31, 2025, in Las Vegas, Nevada, at the Thomas & Mack Center, and will air live and free on YouTube.
