The Craig Jones Invitational, through the Fair Fight Foundation, has raised $500,000 for Tap Cancer Out.
The dollar amounts raised by the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) – by way of the Fair Fight Foundation – are beginning to trickle in, and on Tuesday, the organization announced that it has raised $500,000 for the BJJ non-profit Tap Cancer Out.
The first-ever CJI took place in September and by all accounts was a resounding success, attracting millions of viewers across multiple platforms all while raising money for multiple different charitable organizations. The event featured a pair of 16-man brackets, each with a $1 million prize up for grabs, as well as superfights between Gabi Garcia and Craig Jones, and Ffion Davies and Mackenzie Dern.
The half-million raised for Tap Cancer Out came from donations to the Fair Fight Foundation, ticket sales, sponsorships, and apparel purchases. CJI’s direct donation was matched by KASAI CEO Rich Byrne and an anonymous donor.
Tap Cancer Out founder and Executive Direction Jon Thomas spoke about the impact this money will have:
“This transformational gift from the Fair Fight Foundation will enable us to accelerate our ambitious strategic goals. Our vision is to give every grappler the opportunity to fight for those in the fight of their lives. Our partnership with CJI has led to increased awareness of our mission and events, with leadership financial support to scale our impact. We wish to thank Craig, Seth, Anthony, B-Team, and CJI’s incredible athletes for believing so strongly in our mission. Additionally, massive thanks is owed to the inspiring fanbase that came out and made the inaugural CJI a tremendous success!”
Fair Fight Foundation co-founder and President Seth Belisle also spoke about the gift to Tap Cancer Out:
“We are honored to support Tap Cancer Out with this charitable donation and know that funds will be put to swift and effective use to further their inspiring mission. Our charitable impact is made possible by our sponsors and the millions of fans and viewers who believe in CJI and share our belief that Jiu-Jitsu is a global force for good.”
