Podcast Summary
CGI tournament, charity: Renowned martial artist Craig Jones hosts CGI tournament with over $2M prize money, all ticket profits to charity, free online streaming, and encourages fans to support and appreciate athletes' hard work
Craig Jones, a renowned martial artist and submission grappler with a unique sense of humor, is using his platform to grow the sport of submission grappling through the CGI tournament. The event, which takes place this Friday and Saturday, offers over two million dollars in prize money and all ticket profits go to charity, mainly for cancer research. Fans can watch it for free online and support the cause by buying tickets. Craig encourages fans to watch both CGI and ADCC tournaments and celebrate the athletes' achievements. The podcast host also encourages listeners to check out sponsors, including Eight Sleep, Element, BetterHelp, NetSuite, Shopify, and Express VPN. The hosts have a deep respect for the athletes involved and encourage fans to appreciate their hard work rather than engaging in online trolling. The podcast episode is brought to you by these sponsors.
Privacy and Freedom: Protecting individual privacy and freedom is crucial to prevent mass surveillance societies. ExpressVPN is a valuable tool for safeguarding online privacy.
Protecting individual privacy and freedom is essential to prevent the descent into dystopian societies where mass surveillance is the norm. ExpressVPN is a crucial first step in safeguarding your online privacy. Craig Jones, a guest on the podcast, shares his experiences dealing with large sums of cash and risk, revealing his attraction to adventure over risk aversion. In Ukraine, Craig shared his Jiu Jitsu expertise and organized a seminar to support soldiers, despite the ongoing conflict and proximity to the front line. Throughout his adventures, Craig demonstrates a willingness to take calculated risks for the sake of adventure and experience.
Life in war-torn areas: People adapt and find appreciation in life despite ongoing dangers and challenges in war-torn areas, but potential threats like mines and radiation leaks remain significant concerns.
Despite the ongoing conflict and fear of danger, life in war-torn areas like Kyiv and Chernobyl continues. The Patriot defense system, a remarkable piece of US technology, protects the city from potential threats. The speaker's experiences, from witnessing a missile explosion to visiting Chernobyl, show the surreal nature of living in such conditions. People adapt and appreciate the things they still have, even in the face of danger. However, the presence of mines and potential radiation leaks pose ongoing threats, making tourism unlikely for the foreseeable future. The speaker's ability to access these restricted areas may have been due to his connections and the Ukrainian people's perception of him as less of a threat. The ongoing conflict and potential dangers serve as a reminder of the complexities and challenges of war.
Ukraine conflict humor: Soldiers maintain humor and camaraderie amidst ongoing and dangerous conflict in Ukraine, despite near-death experiences and prolonged warfare
The ongoing conflict in Curso, Ukraine, is a dangerous and unpredictable situation with constant artillery strikes and the threat of drone attacks. The soldiers, despite the danger, maintain a sense of humor and camaraderie. During a tour, the speaker came close to death when their vehicle was targeted, and they survived a near-miss with friendly fire. The morale among the soldiers is mostly one of prolonged warfare, with the understanding that it could last for months or even years. Despite the risks, the speaker was able to use the experience to create a unique marketing campaign for a tournament. The conflict is a complex and dangerous situation, with both sides suffering heavy losses.
Ukraine war contrast perspectives: Soldiers in Ukraine feel strong obligation to protect homeland despite danger and pay for own equipment; drones play significant role in psychological warfare and defense; future autonomous drone tech raises concerns for civilian casualties
The war in Ukraine presents a stark contrast to the perspectives of those living in countries with no conscription or direct war experience. Witnessing the situation firsthand revealed the strong sense of obligation and responsibility Ukrainian soldiers feel towards their homeland and families. Despite the danger, many choose to stay and fight, even paying for their own equipment out of personal funds. The use of drones, both consumer-level and advanced, has become a significant aspect of the war, with both sides employing them for psychological warfare and defense. The potential future development of autonomous drone technology raises concerns about the escalation of drone warfare and potential civilian casualties. Overall, the experience highlighted the unique circumstances and sacrifices of those directly affected by the conflict.
Drones in Ukraine: People in Ukraine live in fear due to the prevalence of drone attacks, which can strike anywhere at any time, making it difficult to determine their origin and protect against them.
Life in Ukraine is filled with uncertainty and fear due to the prevalence of drone attacks. People are not safe even indoors, as drones can wait for long periods to attack. The range of these drones is increasing, making it difficult to determine their origin. The war in Ukraine is expected to last for a long time, and soldiers are prepared for prolonged conflict based on their personal histories and experiences. While some soldiers remain optimistic about the outcome, others are ready to fight regardless of the cost. The community of Jiu Jitsu practitioners around the world serves as an equalizer, transcending ethnic, religious, and socio-economic backgrounds. The respect and camaraderie shared among Jiu Jitsu practitioners are powerful, and this community is the focus of a travel show the speaker is working on. Despite the danger and uncertainty, people find solace and strength in their shared passion for Jiu Jitsu.
Jiu Jitsu Documentary, Community Outreach: Craig Jones plans to create a Jiu Jitsu documentary series to showcase diverse individuals and give back to local communities, while also addressing the issue of athlete pay in tournaments like ADCC through the CGI tournament.
The growth of the sport of Jiu Jitsu can't solely rely on competition, but rather on appealing to the majority of people who enjoy it for its benefits and showcasing the diverse and interesting individuals involved. Craig Jones, a prominent figure in the Jiu Jitsu community, plans to create a documentary travel series to highlight these individuals and give back to local communities. He draws inspiration from Anthony Bourdain's approach to showcasing authentic and honest reflections of places. Jones also aims to address the issue of athlete pay in Jiu Jitsu tournaments, such as ADCC, which has seen significant growth but has not increased pay for participants. In response, Jones is organizing the CGI tournament with a larger budget to pay competitors more, and plans to remain anonymous to avoid distractions and focus on the sport.
CJI's disruption of grappling tournaments: CJI's approach of offering more financial incentives, equal pay for women, and free broadcasting has led to a surge in high-profile athletes, causing competitors to match the prize money and fill divisions with less established athletes, ultimately benefiting the grappling community.
The grappling event, CJI, is disrupting the traditional grappling tournament scene by offering athletes more financial incentives and equal pay for women, while also broadcasting the event for free. This approach has led to a significant increase in high-profile athletes joining CJI, causing ADCC to match the prize money and fill their divisions with less established competitors. The event's rule set, inspired by Karate Combat's angled walls, adds an interesting twist to the grappling format. The event's organizer has been criticized in the past but has used these criticisms to his advantage, raising the stakes and ultimately benefiting the grappling community as a whole. The highly anticipated match between the organizer and the legendary women's grappling champion, Gabi Garcia, adds an extra layer of excitement to the event.
Angled alley advantages: Angled alley in grappling competitions offers advantages such as less referee interference, faster reset process, better fan experience, and incentivized action.
The use of an angled alley in grappling competitions offers several advantages over traditional cage wrestling. The angled walls mitigate referee interference and the reset process, creating a more action-packed and less stagnant competition. Additionally, the angled alley provides a better viewing experience for fans, as it allows for a more immersive and colosseum-like atmosphere. The implementation of rounds and the incentivization of action further enhance the excitement and competitiveness of the event. The overall goal is to create an accessible, exciting, and charitable grappling competition that can grow and attract a larger audience.
Grappling event challenges: Despite numerous challenges, including securing athlete commitments and effective communication, a determined team succeeded in organizing a grappling event for charity by securing high-profile athletes and focusing on their cause
The organizers of a grappling event aimed at raising funds for charity faced numerous challenges in securing athlete commitments, communicating effectively, and competing against established events. Despite these hurdles, their determination to donate a significant portion of the profits to charity and secure high-profile athletes like the Rotolos resulted in a successful event. The interpersonal aspects, such as dealing directly with athletes and their agents, proved to be the most difficult part of the process. Additionally, the short timeframe from ideation to execution added to the complexity of the undertaking. While securing some top athletes like Gordon Ryan was a long shot, the team's persistence paid off with the commitment of the Rotolos, who chose to support the event over a potentially more lucrative offer from a competing event.
Speaker's Competitive History with Marigale: The speaker has a history of close matches and missed opportunities with Marigale, and remains open to future competitions if the price is right. Their contrasting training styles and past encounters have fueled their competitive dynamic.
Despite facing tough competition and personal challenges, the speaker remains confident in his abilities and is open to future matches, provided the price is right. The speaker's history with Marigale includes close matches and a missed opportunity due to Marigale's vacation plans. The speaker's trolling on social media is seen as a form of entertainment and a way to bring balance, but he acknowledges that it may come back to haunt him. The origins of their competitive history stem from their time in the same division and their contrasting approaches to training and competition. The speaker expresses a desire for intellectual sparring with Gordon and considers Hana De Laurentis and Chael Sonnen to be notable figures in martial arts shit-talking. Overall, the speaker's perspective showcases a blend of confidence, competitiveness, and a sense of humor.
Craig Jones and Mo's relationship: Despite disagreements over athlete compensation, Craig Jones hopes for a transparent conversation with ADCC organizer Mo, while advocating for making grappling events accessible to everyone through free online streaming.
The relationship between Craig Jones and Mo, the organizer of ADCC, has been complex, with elements of friendship and disagreement. Their friendship was tested when Craig publicly discussed athlete compensation, which Mo took personally. This led to a public feud, with Craig advocating for transparency and athlete pay, while Mo maintained that business decisions were being made to grow the sport. Despite their disagreements, Craig believes there is a future for a conversation between them, but he wants it to be transparent and beneficial for the fans. Craig's perspective is that the sport of grappling, including major events like ADCC, should be accessible to everyone, and he is making his events freely available on YouTube and other platforms to grow the sport and give athletes more leverage in sponsorship negotiations. Craig's goal is to run the event every year and potentially take over the organization of ADCC in the future.
Personalized training approach for major events: A personalized approach to training is crucial for peak performance in major events, taking into account individual needs and opponent dynamics, while maintaining a strong technical game and mental preparation.
While providing free content can help grow an audience, reaching peak performance for major events like the CJI or ADCC requires a personalized approach. Psychologically, the lead-up to these events can be brutal, with constant doubts about training and physical health. A coach can provide guidance on the right amount of work, but what works for one person may not work for another. Some athletes, like Nicki Ryan, may need to train more technically, while others, like Craig Jones, may prefer a more relaxed approach. Ultimately, the key is to find a training regimen that works best for the individual and their opponent, while also maintaining a strong technical game and keeping the body in good condition. Additionally, mental preparation and strategy are crucial components of competition success.
Jiu-Jitsu seminar safety: Instructors should balance technique demo, Q&A, and rolling while ensuring safety. Beginners should focus on safe training partners, understanding positions, and staying calm. Innovation comes from finding creative ways to beat opponents and staying flexible.
Providing a complete seminar experience while ensuring safety is crucial for both the instructor and participants in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. The instructor should maintain a balance between technique demonstration, question and answer sessions, and rolling, while also being aware of potential threats and responding appropriately. For beginners, it's essential to focus on longevity by finding safe training partners, understanding positions, and remaining calm in bad situations. The key to innovation in Jiu-Jitsu is finding creative ways to beat opponents and staying flexible in response to their moves. Overall, maintaining a calm and relaxed mindset is crucial for both injury prevention and effective learning.
Innovation in Martial Arts: Innovation and creativity are crucial in martial arts for developing new techniques, gaining an edge over opponents, and achieving success. Studying tape, reverse engineering, and creating panic are unconventional yet effective methods.
The unexpected and innovative approaches in martial arts bring joy and fulfillment. This can be seen in the way athletes come up with new techniques by studying tape, reverse engineering, and creating ways to make opponents panic. Innovation and creativity are essential in the sport, and even popularizing moves can lead to success. The speaker's unique perspective and humor have helped him gain influence in the martial arts community. When it comes to training with other athletes, such as Volkanovski, the speaker has learned valuable lessons about hard work, mental willpower, and the importance of staying humble, regardless of one's achievements. Overall, the unexpected and innovative aspects of martial arts, combined with dedication and a humble attitude, lead to growth and success.
MMA training methods: Intense MMA and wrestling training methods, with a focus on never conceding an inch, are effective for walking down opponents and holding them down with ground and pound. However, they may not always translate in grappling scenarios and the integration of wrestling into Jiu Jitsu could be the most exciting way for the sport to progress.
The intense training methods used in MMA and wrestling, which involve never conceding an inch, are effective in a fighting context. This grinding nature of training allows fighters to walk down their opponents, take them down against the wall, and hold them down with ground and pound. However, this approach may not always translate in grappling scenarios, especially when an opponent can pull guard and submit from their back. The integration of wrestling into Jiu Jitsu, with a focus on offensive engagement on the feet, could be the most exciting way for the sport to progress. The most popular submissions in upcoming competitions are predicted to be CJA and those that result in injuries, despite the potential for athletes to continue despite injury. The benefit of being exciting in the sport is the potential for glory on social media, while stalling or boring fights will be vilified. The use of steroids in the sport is a difficult issue to quantify, but accusations without data can be unfair to athletes who are simply good at what they do.
Comedy and resilience: Comedy can help us find joy in adversity and unite people, as renowned comedian Craig Jones shares his experiences of pushing boundaries and dealing with the unknown, emphasizing the power of laughter to heal and inspire.
Craig Jones, a renowned figure in the comedy world, shares his unique perspective on life and the importance of finding humor in all situations. Despite the challenges and darkness he's encountered, Jones remains hopeful and continues to use comedy as a means to connect with people and make a difference. He shares his experiences of pushing boundaries, dealing with the unknown, and the power of laughter to bring people together. Through his humor, Jones encourages us to find joy in the chaos of the world and to keep pushing forward, even when faced with adversity. Ultimately, his message is one of resilience, creativity, and the power of laughter to heal and unite.