Olympic wrestling champion Gable Steveson has withdrawn from his highly anticipated CJI 2 main event bout against Craig Jones, just six days before the event.
The Story
Breaking news hit the grappling world hard when Craig Jones announced via Instagram that Steveson would not be competing at CJI 2 due to a turf toe injury sustained during training. The withdrawal comes at the worst possible time – with the event scheduled for August 31st, fans and organizers are scrambling to process this massive blow to the card.
Craig Jones’ Reaction
Jones, who was set to face the Olympic gold medalist in what many considered a retirement match, posted “Bad news coming” on his Instagram stories before confirming the withdrawal. The Australian grappler appeared visibly disappointed, having promoted this as potentially his final competitive match.
Conspiracy Theories Emerge
The timing has sparked controversy within the BJJ community. A CJI employee has raised conspiracy theories about potential sabotage, with some speculating about external pressures given Steveson’s upcoming MMA debut. The fact that Steveson announced his professional MMA debut for September 12, 2025 (just days after CJI 2) has only fueled these theories.
Perfect Storm of Bad Timing
This withdrawal creates a perfect storm of unfortunate circumstances:
- Steveson’s MMA debut is scheduled for LFA 217 on September 12th against Braden Peterson
- The injury occurs just days before CJI 2
- Craig Jones’ potential retirement match is now off the table
- Fans who bought tickets specifically for this superfight are left disappointed
What This Means
The loss of the main event is a massive blow to CJI 2’s drawing power. Steveson, with his Olympic pedigree and crossover appeal, was expected to bring mainstream attention to the event. Now, with less than a week to go, organizers must scramble to fill the void left by one of the most anticipated grappling matches of the year.
The BJJ community is left wondering: Was this really just bad luck, or is there more to the story?
