Full Team and Athlete Lineup Announced for Craig Jones Invitational 2

The Craig Jones Invitational is back and looking bigger than ever. CJI 2 is set to hit the Thomas & Mack Arena in late August with a fresh twist: full team-based grappling inspired by the famed Japanese Quintet format. Following the massive buzz from last year's debut, the 2025 edition will feature eight squads of five athletes each, battling for the grand prize.

Five of the teams are built around well-known grappling affiliations, while the remaining three pull their rosters from regions like the Americas, Europe, and Australia/Asia. Each squad also has the flexibility to add one wildcard athlete who doesn't necessarily meet the team’s criteria, allowing for a bit of unpredictability in the lineup.

The matches will be held in “the pit,” CJI’s signature sloped-walled surface that keeps the action intense and nonstop. Match rules will follow the CJI system—three rounds of five minutes, UFC-style, where any submission ends the bout instantly. Grapplers can even use the pit walls creatively for submissions and movement, making this format a show of both technical skill and innovation.

If the Quintet rules are implemented in their classic form, the format will see one grappler face off against another in a one-on-one elimination. A draw eliminates both. A submission sends the winner forward to face the next member of the opposing team. In this style, a single athlete could potentially wipe out an entire squad.

It’s already been confirmed that all team tournament matches at CJI 2 will be eight minutes long. It’s still unclear whether CJI will tweak any of the other traditional Quintet elements, but even with a few minor changes, the format promises to deliver drama, strategy, and standout moments.

To top things off, Craig Jones himself will be stepping into the pit for a superfight against Olympic wrestling gold medalist Gable Steveson, adding another layer of intrigue to an already stacked event.

Confirmed Teams for CJI 2:

10th Planet
-66kg: Geo Martinez
-77kg: Alan Sanchez
-88kg: PJ Barch
-99kg: Ryan Aitken
+99kg: Kyle Boehm
Coach: Eddie Bravo

Kingsway Jiu-Jitsu
-66kg: Dorian Olivarez
-77kg: Mica Galvão
-88kg: Giancarlo Bodoni
-99kg: Luke Griffith
+99kg: Dan Manasoiu
Coach: John Danaher

B-Team Jiu-Jitsu
-66kg: Ethan Crelinsten
-77kg: Jozef Chen
-88kg: Chris Wojcik
-99kg: Nick Rodriguez
+99kg: Victor Hugo
Coach: Dima Murovanni

Team Australia/Asia
-66kg: Fabricio Andrey
-77kg: Kenta Iwamoto
-88kg: Lucas Kanard
-99kg: Declan Moody
+99kg: Belal Etiabari
Coach: Lachlan Giles

Team Americas
-66kg: Gavin Corbe
-77kg: Deandre Corbe
-88kg: Elijah Dorsey
-99kg: Taylor Pearman
+99kg: Pat Downey
Coach: Greg Souders

Team Europe
-66kg: Owen Jones
-77kg: Pawel Jaworski
-88kg: Paul Ardilla
-99kg: Charles Negromonte
+99kg: Marcin Maciulewicz
Coach: Faris Benlamkadem

Team Atos
-66kg: Diego Pato
-77kg: Ronaldo Junior
-88kg: Lucas Barbosa
-99kg: Kaynan Duarte
+99kg: Felipe Pena
Coach: Andre Galvão

Pedigo Submission Fighting
-66kg: Max Hanson
-77kg: Dante Leon
-88kg: Jacob Couch
-99kg: Michael Pixley
+99kg: Brandon Reed
Coach: Heath Pedigo

Women's $100K Bracket

CJI 2 will also feature its first-ever women’s bracket with a $100,000 prize on the line. This open-weight division includes:

• Adele Fornarino
• Helena Crevar
• Ana Carolina Vieira
• Sarah Galvão

With a prize pool that big and a lineup this stacked, this bracket could deliver one of the most talked-about moments in modern jiu-jitsu.

Stay tuned. The full team vs team format, the innovative rule set, and the potential for all-time great performances make this a must-watch event for fans of submission grappling.