Craig Jones' Unconventional Adventure in Kazakhstan
Craig Jones Implicated in Trolling Incidents, Receives Million-Dollar Payment, Associated with Kazakhstan
Craig Jones, the Australian BJJ star, found himself in an unexpected situation when he encountered the ancient horseback competition known as kokba during a filming trip in Kazakhstan. Kokba, a violent event involving up to a thousand riders and a headless goat carcass, was a far cry from the martial arts competitions Jones was accustomed to.
Despite never having ridden a horse before, and being thrust into the competition due to a mischievous stunt by a drunk fellow actor, Jones decided to participate. Dressed in Biggie Smalls-style attire, he took on the challenge, much to the dismay of the local riders who were not thrilled to see a foreigner participating.
Jones, known as a "coral belt level troll" in martial arts, maintains no regrets about his approach to trolling. His philosophy is that you can make fun of anything as long as it's funny enough. He believes his role is to bring balance to the martial arts community through humor.
Jones' perspective on failed jokes is that they are not about cancel culture, but about poor delivery. This approach is similar to his philosophy in trash talk, which he considers calculated. He targets worthy adversaries with sufficient profile, much like entering the American banter as an Australian is similar to "Neo getting his matrix skills."
In addition to his unconventional adventure in Kazakhstan, Craig Jones is renowned for his success in no-gi grappling tournaments and superfights. He has twice reached the finals of the ADCC World Championships, earning silver medals in 2019 and 2022. After leaving the Danaher Death Squad in 2021, Jones co-founded B-Team Jiu-Jitsu in Austin, Texas, with other high-level grapplers.
Jones launched the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) in 2024, with a focus on increasing athlete payouts. The event awarded $1 million to winners in two men’s divisions and featured a mix of elite competitions. Jones has expressed concerns about the UFC's entry into professional grappling, citing potential performance enhancement pressures, though he acknowledges the increased exposure and financial support it brings to the sport.
Social-media was abuzz with the unconventional adventure of Craig Jones, the Australian BJJ star, participating in the ancient horseback competition, kokba, in Kazakhstan. His entertaining antics, which included donning Biggie Smalls-style attire during the competition, became a topic of pop-culture discussion.
