Craig Jones dominated Chael Sonnen in a grappling superfight at Craig Jones Invitational 2 on August 31, 2025, at Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Jones, a top jiu-jitsu athlete, submitted Sonnen twice with a buggy choke in under a minute, ending the match early. Sonnen, a former UFC title challenger, stepped in on short notice after Gable Steveson withdrew due to a toe injury.
Jones’s Quick Submissions
The superfight, set for three five-minute rounds, ended swiftly. Sonnen, a skilled wrestler, took Jones down immediately. Jones countered with a buggy choke from the bottom, putting Sonnen to sleep, per MMA Fighting. After Sonnen recovered, they restarted, but another takedown led to a second buggy choke, knocking Sonnen out again. Referee John McCarthy stopped the match, despite Sonnen’s request for a third try. Jones, 34, showcased his elite submission skills against a veteran opponent.
View this post on Instagram
Jones has a 9-2-1 grappling record. A black belt under Lachlan Giles, he’s known for leg locks and heel hooks. He won silver at the 2019 ADCC World Championships and bronze in 2022. Jones founded CJI to rival UFC BJJ, offering large prizes. He submitted Gabi Garcia at CJI 1 in 2024.
Sonnen has a 31-17-1 MMA record. A former UFC middleweight and light heavyweight title challenger, he fought Anderson Silva at UFC 117 in 2010 and Jon Jones at UFC 159 in 2013, losing both. His last MMA fight was a 2019 TKO loss to Lyoto Machida at Bellator 222. Sonnen, a BJJ black belt, last grappled competitively in 2017, losing to Jones at ADCC.
CJI 2, a two-day event, included a $1 million team tournament and a $100,000 women’s tournament. B-Team defeated New Wave in the team final via tiebreaker, led by Nick Rodriguez’s 10-8 score. Helena Crevar won the women’s final, submitting Sarah Galvao with an Aoki lock. Streamed free on FloGrappling’s YouTube, the event drew attention for its high stakes and Jones’s promotional stunts, like a staged wedding with Gabi Garcia.
