Craig Jones added a $50,000 submission bonus to make the action even more exciting on the second day of Craig Jones Invitational 2 in Las Vegas, while Victor Hugo of B-Team cashed in extra six-figure cash in addition to his team’s $1,000,000 awards that won the quintet-style challenge.
Team B and Team Australia fought to the final spot, with five-time IBJJF world champion Hugo gaining a big win for the team with a triangular choke on the arm via Fabrio Andrei. Team Australia’s Veral Etiabali, who broke his leg in the quarterfinals on Saturday, decided to have his team tested in a $1 million duel in one way or another. However, Hugo managed to outperform the B team by securing another arm’s triangle choke, cashing in $100,000 in the semi-finals.
New Wave eliminated Team America in the quarterfinals on Saturday night and chased Athos in the semi-finals on Sunday, earning the other spot in the final. Luke Griffith finished Diego Pat with a naked choke before tapping on the armbar against Felipe Pena, but his teammate Giancarlo Bodoni won the armbar with Ronaldo Jr.
B-Team chose Chris Wojcik as the first representative of the final, and New Wave threw the lighter, but very dangerous, great Mica Galbao in the pit against him. Galvao worked at the top for most of the match, and Wojcik was able to survive the final two seconds of ankle lock and eliminate both.
Hugo returned after two submissions in the semi-finals, and New Wave countered with durable veteran Virginia Rocha. After surviving a rear choke attempt from Kanan Duarte in the semi-finals, Rocha did not tap Hugo from the same position. Hugo attacked the ankle in the final minute, but Rosha slipped off.
Ethan Crelinsten (B-Team) vs. Dorian Olivarez (New Wave) was a rematch from a past ADCC trial and it was his third final duel. After a great performance in the previous stages, Olivares got the mount and broke him with non-stop action, but failed.
New Wave still has two heaviest grapplers on the deck, opting for second ADCC World Champion Giancarlo Bodoni and entered the pit with great advantages for Jozef Chen in the second match of the night. In another draw, they tried to decide between CJI Openweight Champion Nicky Rod and 2024 ADCC silver medalist Luke Griffith without the need for a judge.
Rodriguez and Griffiths stepped in for more than three minutes without either athlete getting a takedown. After a body lock, Rodriguez finally took his opponent to the mat and quickly went to side control. Rodriguez locked the choke from a north-south position and released it to get the mount, but Griffith escaped again. Time ran out again and the team duel went to the judges’ scorecards.
After a short break, it was announced that all three judges had won a New Wave A 47-47 draw with Team B. By standard, Rodriguez’s performance against Griffiths won an overall victory and $1 million.
Helena Clever shines for a six-digit check
In CJI’s first women’s $100,000 tournament, Helena Clever won the award after tapping Andre Galbao’s daughter Sara Galbao in the final with a straight ankle lock in the third round. On Saturday, Kreval won the decision over Adele Fornalino, and Galbao eliminated Ana Carolina Vieira in the other semi-finals.
Click here for results from CJI on Days 1 and 2.
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