Craig Jones

Craig Jones is an Australian grappler and Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Lachlan Giles who competes for the Absolute MMA Academy in the sport’s international circuit. An International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF) World No-Gi Champion (2015 at in purple belt division) and a 2x ADCC Trials champion, Craig Jones turned many heads his way at the 2017 ADCC finals by submitting the tournament’s 88-kilogram #1 pick, Leandro Lo. Jones would later cement his status as one of the best grapplers of his generation by winning numerous prestigious events, including multiple belt titles in the Polaris Invitational promotion.

Craig Jones Jiu-Jitsu

Full Name: Craig Jones

Nickname: N/A

Lineage: Carlos Gracie > Helio Gracie > Carlos Gracie Jr > Jean Jacques Machado / Rigan Machado > John Will > John Simon > Lachlan Giles > Craig Jones

Main Achievements:

• Polaris 205 lbs Champion (2018)
• Polaris 185 lbs Champion (2018 / 2019)
• 2nd Place ADCC World Championship (2019)
• 3rd Place EBI 11 Invitational (2017)
• 3rd Place Kasai 2 185lbs Grand Prix (2018)
• 3rd Place Kasai 5 205lbs Grand Prix (2019)

Main Achievements (Colored Belts):

• 1st Place IBJJF World Championship NoGi (2015 purple)
• 1st Place AFBJJ Pan Pacific Championship (2014** purple)
• 1st Place ADCC Asian & Oceania Trials (2014 / 2016)
• 1st Place NAGA World Championship (2014 purple)
• 3rd Place UAEJJF Abu Dhabi Pro (2016 brown)

* Absolute
** Weight and absolute

Favorite Position/Technique: Open Guard

Weight Division: Meio Pesado (88,30 kg / 195.0 lbs)

Team/Association: Absolute MMA

Craig Jones Biography

Craig Jones was born on July 17, 1991, in Adelaide, South Australia.

Growing up Jones was a very active kid, playing a variety of intensive sports such as Australian rules football and basketball while also briefly training in taekwondo and judo. His interest in rough playing activities was a sign of Craig’s frame of mind, who as a teenager turned to mixed martial arts (MMA) and by the time of his 15th birthday dreamt of becoming an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter.

With the UFC in his sight, Craig joined his cousin Matt Jones’ BJJ academy (2006), a gym called ISOHEALTH. It was under Matt’s guidance that Craig started making a name for himself in Australia’s national grappling circuit, before joining the Maromba Academy in Melbourne (later named Absolute MMA), as a purple belt, where his tuition was then picked up by Lachlan Giles.

In December 2015, after an epic performance at the IBJJF World No-Gi Championships, Jones earned his brown belt. It was also around this time that Craig became a regular BJJ instructor. One year later Lachlan Giles promoted Craig to black belt.

While climbing the ranks of jiu-jitsu, competing regularly nationally and internationally, Craig Jones also managed to graduate with a degree in Behavioural Science (Psychology).