CHAPTERS
- 0:00 – 0:58
Cauliflower ear, hearing loss, and why AirPods don’t fit anymore
Joe and Craig open with light banter about Craig’s one-sided headphone setup and the practical downsides of cauliflower ear. Craig explains how swelling affected his hearing and jokes about using it as a conversation prop rather than fixing it.
- •Cauliflower ear’s impact on hearing, not just appearance
- •Craig’s ear eventually drained but remains misshapen
- •AirPods and in-ear devices don’t stay in place
- •Joe’s habit of wearing ear guards to avoid ear damage
- 0:58 – 1:47
Why Craig is launching a tournament that goes head-to-head with ADCC
Joe pivots to the big topic: Craig’s new event positioned against the world’s biggest grappling tournament, ADCC. Craig frames it as athlete-focused growth for the sport—better pay, more buzz, and charity impact—while acknowledging the drama it creates.
- •Craig’s motivations: athlete pay, sport growth, charity
- •The deliberate ‘rivalry’ energy to capture attention
- •Joe’s surprise at challenging ADCC directly
- •Craig’s self-deprecating humor about creating a tournament he could finally win
- 1:47 – 3:49
The mystery backer and the $1,000,000 cash proof-of-funds moment
Craig reveals a million dollars in cash as proof the event is real, prompting amazement and comedic paranoia about loose bills. He keeps the identity and business of the financier vague, emphasizing legitimacy while maintaining mystery to avoid backlash.
- •$1M cash brought as a credibility prop
- •How they pressured a bank to produce cash quickly
- •Craig refuses to name the backer’s business
- •Concerns about trust, optics, and online skepticism
- 3:49 – 5:17
Nonprofit structure, venue economics, and why ADCC prize money hasn’t changed
Craig argues that grappling events can be run more efficiently, criticizing ADCC’s expensive venue/production choices. He contrasts T-Mobile Arena costs with Thomas & Mack and insists athlete compensation should rise alongside ticket and streaming revenue.
- •Event run as nonprofit; ticket sales aimed at charity
- •T-Mobile vs Thomas & Mack: cost and capacity tradeoffs
- •ADCC winner pay (~$10K) vs event scale and revenue
- •Craig’s claim: money exists but is allocated to production
- 5:17 – 7:38
CJI pay structure: show money for everyone and $1,000,000 to win
Craig lays out the headline compensation model: substantial appearance pay plus a massive top prize. Joe probes sustainability, incentives, and how this could pressure ADCC to increase payouts across the sport.
- •$10,001 to show up (symbolic ‘extra dollar’)
- •Two divisions with vastly larger winner purses than ADCC
- •Budget framing: $3M total, $2.3M to athletes
- •Seminars/instructionals as current income vs competition pay
- 7:38 – 16:47
Going head-to-head: athlete choices, confirmations, and annual plans
Joe worries that overlapping weekends forces athletes to choose and could trigger organizational grudges. Craig lists early confirmations and explains the strategic stance: unify athletes around compensation and aim to run CJI yearly.
- •Confirmed names mentioned (e.g., Ffion Davies, Tackett brothers, Nicky Ryan, Nicky Rod, Luke Rockhold)
- •Prestige vs prize money argument: money creates prestige
- •Plan: run yearly vs ADCC’s biennial schedule
- •Goal: charity fundraising and global jiu-jitsu film projects
- 16:47 – 18:36
The ‘biggest superfight in grappling history’: Craig Jones vs Gabi Garcia
Craig announces a long-teased matchup is official: he’ll face decorated champion Gabi Garcia. The segment mixes genuine logistics with comedic storytelling about negotiations, stakes, and spectacle as entertainment alongside a serious tournament.
- •Gabi Garcia’s size and accolades highlighted
- •Contract signed; matchup discussed as a ‘gimmick’ but fan-friendly
- •Humor about conditions, OnlyFans, and tension
- •Craig admits he may not train intensely for it
- 18:36 – 21:28
Free on YouTube and a new rule set: open scoring + 10-point must system
Craig explains the broadcast and rules philosophy: make it accessible, reduce confusion, and attract MMA fans. They discuss adopting open scoring, translating jiu-jitsu positions into a 10-point must framework, and how transparency could improve judging.
- •Livestream plan: free on YouTube
- •Three 5-minute rounds for non-finals; judged with familiar jiu-jitsu concepts
- •Translate to 10-point must for MMA audience
- •Open scoring to avoid ‘surprise’ decisions
- 21:28 – 22:53
Building a better ‘mat space’: the ‘alley’ with angled walls to prevent resets
To reduce constant resets and falling off stages, Craig proposes a large rectangular surface with angled walls inspired by Karate Combat. Joe questions whether angles create unfair dynamics; Craig argues it penalizes retreat and keeps action continuous.
- •Rectangular space with angled wall ends; called ‘the alley’
- •Goal: fewer stoppages and less boundary chaos
- •Angles used to punish backing up and stalling
- •Large dimensions (30x40) to reduce distortion
- 22:53 – 25:25
Karate Combat stories: the Phil Rowe(?) wall triangle, beers before matches, and ‘taking the edge off’
They revisit Craig’s Karate Combat grappling bout where the angled wall helped enable a triangle setup. Craig admits promoters wanted a ‘wall submission’ moment, then talks candidly about pre-match drinking as a way to relax, comparing it to other fighters’ routines.
- •Promoter asked Craig to try a wall-based submission for marketing
- •Technical detail: posted hand + overhook enabling triangle entries
- •Craig’s casual approach (beers, unclear match time)
- •Debate on alcohol vs focus and performance
- 25:25 – 33:31
Coaching Volkanovski: short-notice Islam rematch, concussions, and comeback planning
Joe and Craig discuss Volk’s short-notice fight decisions, preparation differences, and the realities of concussion recovery. Craig describes Volk’s toughness, grappling survival, and the psychological ripple effect of a fighter getting clipped.
- •Craig flew out immediately after Volk’s 4 AM call
- •Short-notice vs full camp differences vs Islam
- •Concussion uncertainty and increased KO susceptibility
- •Idea: Volk doing a grappling match during recovery (e.g., vs Ortega)
- 33:31 – 36:51
Superfights and crossover appeal: MMA names, legends returning, and ‘no one’s tapping for a million’
Craig talks about expanding the card with sponsors and enticing retired legends, plus recruiting MMA talent to draw new audiences. Joe and Craig highlight Luke Rockhold’s grappling ability and discuss rules tweaks like continuing submissions past the round horn.
- •Seeking sponsors to add more superfights
- •Luke Rockhold training at B-Team; expectations he’ll surprise people
- •Legends reaching out due to money + unique format
- •Proposed rule: if submission is locked at round end, keep going
- 36:51 – 55:55
Danaher era and B-Team aftermath: pressure, burnout, and Craig’s semi-retirement mindset
They shift into Craig’s history with Danaher’s team, the mysterious split, and the creation of B-Team. Craig emphasizes he never planned to run a gym long-term and now prefers traveling, seminars, and selective competition.
- •Craig’s timeline: New York, Puerto Rico stint, then split
- •He avoids details but notes ‘brothers splitting’ implies serious issues
- •B-Team started to help teammates; Craig travels more now
- •He calls himself semi-retired and expects blowback from promotions
- 55:55 – 1:01:56
Origins story: self-taught years, instructionals (and torrents), Lachlan Giles, and leg-lock timing
Craig recounts training in Australia with limited access to black belts, learning from books and early instructionals, then leveling up under Lachlan Giles and later Danaher. He credits obsessive studying and adopting emerging ‘game-changing’ techniques—especially leg locks.
- •Early training: twice a week; few partners; no black belts until purple
- •Learning sources: Eddie Bravo/PJ Penn books, early instructionals, torrent downloads
- •Move to Melbourne to train with Lachlan Giles, then camps in the U.S.
- •Success linked to timing: adopting heel hooks/leg locks as they surged
- 1:01:56 – 1:28:05
Gym reality: staph infections, antibiotics, overtraining, and health markers like blood pressure
They get into the gritty side of grappling gyms—frequent staph, constant antibiotics, hygiene habits, and how stress/overtraining can weaken immunity. Craig also admits concerning blood pressure readings and his lax approach to monitoring recovery metrics.
- •Craig: ‘staph every month’ during certain training periods
- •Antibiotics’ performance toll; speculation about long-term gut issues
- •Hygiene gaps: no showers in Puerto Rico gym; long drive home
- •Overtraining/stress/sleep issues increasing vulnerability and health risks
- 1:28:05 – 1:52:20
Steroids culture, harm reduction, and the ‘Enhanced Games’ idea
Craig and Joe discuss PEDs as openly tolerated in elite grappling and debate what regulation would change. Craig argues transparency can reduce harm for younger athletes, while Joe expands into testing loopholes and broader sports doping dynamics.
- •Jiu-jitsu as ‘open’ PED culture; Gordon’s openness as a catalyst
- •Craig claims to publish his ‘stack’ for harm reduction messaging
- •Discussion of Enhanced Games and ‘best possible’ performance philosophy
- •Testing loopholes, tainted supplements, and TRT exemptions history
- 1:52:20 – 2:09:39
Closing loop: rivalry optics, Gordon ‘beef,’ seminar life, and event details + where to watch
In the final stretch, they revisit the ADCC head-to-head strategy, Craig’s trolling dynamic with Gordon, and the realities of traveling seminars (including rolling gauntlets and silly submissions). Craig ends by sharing where to buy tickets, follow updates, and the charity foundation behind the event.
- •Craig frames feud/trolling as culture + comedy rather than hatred
- •Seminar grind: affordable pricing, 3-hour format, rolling many students
- •Injury talk: protecting the body by tapping early and avoiding ego battles
- •Event info: dates (Aug 16–17), ticketing (UNLV/Thomas & Mack), IG/website handles, Fair Fight Foundation
