Written by Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Craig Jones is getting set for his final match.
The grappling ace announced that he will be retiring after his match with Gable Steveson at the second Craig Jones Invitational event, which takes place Aug. 30 and 31 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas.
“This is our farewell tour to America,” Jones said on YouTube. “CJI 2 is in 52 days [from the video release] — it is going to be my last ever professional match.”
Jones most recently competed at CJI 1 in August 2024 where he submitted Gabi Garcia with a rear-naked choke in an intergender super fight. Jones is a one-time IBJJF world champion, a multi-time ADCC silver medalist, and a three-time Polaris champion. The standout grappler found himself transitioning to promoter, and jiu-jitsu coach for the likes of current UFC world champions Alexander Volkanovski and Jack Della Maddalena.
Jones has recently been the head man of B-Team Jiu-Jitsu. During his announcement, it was revealed that the team will be rebranded. Nicky Ryan will be the new head coach, and the team will still feature Nicky Rod, Ethan Crelinsten, and Damian Anderson.
As far as what’s next for Ryan, it remains a mystery, but his competitive grappling career will be done.
“Me? I am out of here,” Jones said. “I’ve got one competition match left, B-Team is done and I will be leaving America. … After Aug. 31, I don’t know what I’m doing, but you will not see me again.”
Gordon Ryan issued quite the response to all of Jones’ announcements, and gave his assessment of everything he’s seen from Ryan, and the rest of the B-Team.
“Good news, everyone! In less than a short five years, nearly everyone who left the greatest combat team that has ever existed to form their own team has now also left that team, and almost all who left have asked to rejoin kingsway,” Ryan wrote. “Even people who didn’t leave have asked to rejoin. I guess they aren’t happy with their leader romanticizing cocaine and losing constantly. Or maybe it’s the fact that seeing Big Foot on camera is a more likely catch than seeing the leader of the gym actually at the gym. Or maybe it’s the fact that the leader of the gym is traveling the world partying while the real members run the gym? Or maybe it was their leader throwing BOTH the rod boys under the bus for his own publicly perceived morality. Who knows.
“All i know is that by their own admission, they give zero f*cks about building any new talent, which isnt surprising since they havent built a single decent athlete outside the guys who were our students in almost 5 years. Its ok that they don’t give a fuck about anyone who isn’t good. Thats OK! I know of a sick spot in Austin [Texas] that’s opening soon, where we will have world champions, not blue belts teaching our pro classes, and teaching to all levels and aspirations. Nothing better than “cutting out the poison” and then having over 50 percent of the initial people jumping ship! I guess its time for a rebrand, boys. You can call yourselves team bankrupt, starting the first week of August!”