Craig Jones's BJJ Journey: Unveiling the Masters Behind the Grappling Phenom
Craig Jones's BJJ Journey: Unveiling the Masters Behi...
By Edcel Panganiban August 25, 2024 21:42
Australian grappling sensation Craig Jones has been the talk of BJJ town for a while now due to his outstanding talent and unique style within Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). Undoubtedly, every athlete who has risen to the summit owes their presence there only because of mentors, coaches, and training partners. This article will explain in detail the teachers of Craig Jones who helped Cooper shape into a top-class grappler and how their teachings gave him wings to fly high as one of today's most popular grappling legends.
Early Start: The Passion Ignites
Craig Jones started training BJJ back in 2006 at the young age of 15. He started with his cousin's jiu-jitsu gym, ISOHEALTH BJJ, in Adelaide, Australia. By this point, Jones was training BJJ only a couple of times per week, and his main focus at the time was mixed martial arts (MMA).
Enter The Turning Point: A Harsh Wake-Up Call
Although BJJ was a semi-regular pastime for Jones in his early years, it was not until 2013 when things truly took shape. So he joined the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation's (IBJJF) San Francisco Open in February 2013 and took first place back home as a purple belt. That surprising success fueled a rekindled passion for the sport.
But his true thirst for BJJ came in a later loss at the IBJJF Pan Am. Hunter Ewald submitted him with a straight ankle lock in the first 30 seconds of his contest. The harsh loss was a wake-up call for Jones, and from the moment he arrived home in Australia, it made him focus solely on BJJ.
The Influence of the Danaher Death Squad
While training at Absolute MMA, Jones grew further interested in the growth of no-gi grappling, especially through what was being developed by America's Danaher Death Squad (DDS). After taking inspiration from grapplers like Gordon Ryan and Eddie Cummings, Jones started competing mostly without the gi.
For Jones, this move ended up being the game-changer that it was in large part because he followed DDS members and their advice on why to make such a strategic decision. He realized no competition offered more prospects of becoming a professional and making a living in the sport. Jones developed a high-level skill in the leg lock system, which made him famous by John Danaher and his pupils, separating him from competitors.
Innovation Acceptance: The Eddie Bravo Effect
Eddie Bravo's work has also played a major role in Craig Jones's development. The 10th Planet Jiu-Jitsu founder is renowned for his unconventional and modern adaptation of traditional grappling techniques. Jones may not be training under Bravo, but he has heavily incorporated many innovative techniques and unorthodox approaches championed by 10th Planet.
Jones' go-for-broke grappling is suited for the Eddie Bravo Invitational (EBI) format, which has a strong submission-only focus. Having taken part in EBI events and spent hours studying rounds, Jones learned the secrets to maximizing his submission game.
Training Partners from Varying Environments
Spending time with Nicky Ryan, Ethan Crelinsten, and other top grapplers under the bright lights at a B-Team Jiu-Jitsu has helped him see different techniques as part of attention-grabbing teams.
It's also possible because this is a fertile ground for prising open technique, say, and foot-locking aficionado Jones to begin his career here, cross-pollinating grappling influences for years until crystallizing into the fighter we know today. The constant flow of smoother, faster new moves with elite training partners worldwide has kept Jones ahead in grappling.
A Unique Blend of Influences
ones began as an amateur training casually in Adelaide and has been a prolific student throughout his career, learning from some of the best minds involved in grappling today.
Jones can't stop, and he won't stop, and the BJJ world will be all the better for it. The masters who have instructed him taught him not only the technical part of it but also a mindset and attitude towards growth and innovation. This culmination of influences has helped elevate Craig Jones to not just a top competitor but perhaps one who will help determine what the future of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu holds.
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