How Day 2 of the Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) Could Be Better
Hey there,
I hope you caught Day 1 of the Craig Jones Invitational—like you, I was dazzled by the production but found the team matches a bit under-whelming. Between the 8-minute rounds and everyone playing it safe, most bouts ended in mutual elimination and judges' decisions—leaving me hungry for a better format.
So here’s my ultra-comprehensive guide to get you hyped for Day 2, featuring:
How Day 2 Could Be Better
The Craig Jones Invitational has the production value of a UFC card, but the format is what’s holding back the chaos we all want. If I were tweaking the rules, here’s what would make the matches faster, riskier, and more entertaining:
Break matches into two rounds with a one-minute break
Instead of a single 8-minute round, split it into two 4-minute rounds with a short break. Shorter rounds naturally create urgency—athletes have less time to work, which forces them to attack instead of stall. That one-minute breather also resets energy and pushes higher intensity in round two.No draws—winner stays in
Scrap the double-elimination rule entirely. If you win the round, you stay in for the next matchup against the opposing team’s next athlete. This makes winning meaningful and punishes stalling, because there’s a bigger incentive to finish and preserve energy for the next bout.Add a “submission bonus”
Give teams an extra point for every submission finish. It creates a clear scoring advantage and forces competitors to chase the tap instead of just surviving. Fans want to see fights end, not judges’ scorecards.Overtime sudden-death rules
If neither athlete wins a round, implement an overtime golden-score period—first point, first submission, or first dominant position wins. That single rule guarantees no more double eliminations, and it injects tension into every exchange.
Together, these four changes would flip the CJI team format from strategic stalemates to high-paced, must-watch chaos.
Think of it as turning “both eliminated” into “let’s keep rolling.” Injecting incentives shifts the game from stalemate to spectacle.
Match-by-Match Analysis from Day 1
Here’s how things shook out and how that sets the stage for Day 2 bracket match-ups:
Day 1 Outcomes
New Wave beat Team Americas: after several mutual eliminations, New Wave edged out via judges 40–36, 39–37, 39–36 FloGrappling+1.
Atos beat Team Europe: Another decision after draws, unanimous 49–46 scores FloGrappling.
Team Australasia (Australia) beat 10th Planet: Judges awarded 40–36 after a draw FloGrappling+1.
B-Team advanced over Daisy Fresh, thanks to Nick Rodriguez’s rear-naked choke—everyone else eliminated FloGrapplingRedditMMA Fighting.
So, Day 2 Semi-Finals:
New Wave vs Atos
B-Team vs Team Australasia
Key Roster Strengths
New Wave: Packed with elite talent—Mica Galvão, Vagner Rocha, Bodoni—and coached by John Danaher
Atos: Featuring Diego Pato, Kaynan Duarte, Felipe Peña—heavy hitters
B-Team: Nick Rodriguez, Ethan Crelinsten, backed by recent form and grappling pedigree
Team Australasia: Solid cohesion and standout entries like Belal Etiabari, Fabricio Andrey
Who’s the Favorite?
Here’s a simple scoring model based on:
Elite-level roster (1 point each)
Submission success on Day 1 (2 points)
Depth across weight classes (1 point)Judges’ decisiveness (1 point if won by wide margins)
Team Elite Roster Submission Wins Depth Judge Decisiveness Score
New Wave 3 1 1 1 6
Atos 3 0 (decision) 1 1 5
B-Team 2 1 1 0 4
Team Australasia 2 0 (decision) 1 1 4
So:
New Wave edges ahead.
Atos is a close second.
B-Team and Australasia are even—they’ll need something big.
Let me know your thoughts.
Stay tuned in for tonight.
