The grappling world has been waiting for this moment. After all the drama, controversy, and heated debates about the CJI 2 team final between B-Team and New Wave, Craig Jones finally sat down with Miha Perhavec, the head judge, to explain exactly what happened and why B-Team legitimately won that $1 million prize.
The Video Everyone Needed to See
The video, titled “CJI 2. Judges perspective” on The B-Team YouTube channel, is exactly what the community has been demanding since that controversial 47-47 tie that had everyone questioning the judging. With thousands of views already, it’s clear the grappling world was hungry for these explanations.
Why This Matters So Much
Remember the chaos after CJI 2? The team final ended in a perfect 47-47 tie, with the decision ultimately coming down to the last match between Nicky Rod and Luke Griffith. When B-Team was declared the winner, the internet exploded with accusations of biased judging, rigged decisions, and unclear rules.
Reddit threads went wild, with one highly upvoted post claiming “The judges themselves didn’t seem to know exactly what the written rules said or how they were to be interpreted and applied.” That’s a serious accusation that threatened to undermine the entire event.
The Transparency We Never Get
Here’s what makes this video unprecedented: when’s the last time you saw a major grappling event organizer sit down with the head judge to explain controversial decisions? This level of transparency is basically unheard of in our sport. Usually, controversial calls get swept under the rug and everyone moves on.
But Craig Jones has never been one to back down from controversy, and bringing Miha Perhavec on to explain the judging perspective shows he’s serious about maintaining CJI’s integrity.
What the Controversy Was Really About
The Instagram post from @takedownnation summed up the confusion perfectly: “By the rules as explained in the meeting, B-Team rightfully won. By the rules as published in writing, New Wave and Gordon Ryan have a point.”
That’s the crux of the issue – there seemed to be a disconnect between what was explained verbally to the teams and what was written in the official rules. This video is Craig and Miha’s chance to clear that up once and for all.
The Stakes Were Massive
We’re talking about a $1 million prize and the reputation of what’s becoming the premier grappling event in the world. CJI 2 was already making waves for its innovative format and massive prize money, but the judging controversy threatened to overshadow everything else.
Setting a New Standard
By having this conversation publicly, Craig and Miha are doing something that could set a new standard for transparency in grappling competitions. When controversial calls happen – and they will – this is how you handle it.
Instead of leaving fans, athletes, and the community in the dark, this sets a precedent for open dialogue about officiating decisions. That’s the kind of accountability the grappling world deserves.
The Bigger Picture
This video isn’t just about defending the CJI 2 decisions – it’s about educating the community and setting expectations for how major grappling events should handle controversy. The fact that Craig is willing to put himself and his head judge in front of the cameras to explain controversial calls shows a level of accountability that’s rare in combat sports.
What This Means Moving Forward
If this conversation addresses the concerns about rule interpretation and judging consistency, it could be a game-changer for how grappling events handle controversy. Instead of leaving everyone guessing, this sets a precedent for open dialogue about officiating decisions.
The fact that Craig is willing to have these difficult conversations publicly shows the kind of leadership that could change the sport for the better.
The Bottom Line
Whether you agreed with the CJI 2 judging or not, you have to respect the transparency here. Craig Jones and Miha Perhavec sitting down to explain why B-Team legitimately won that $1 million prize is exactly the kind of accountability the grappling community has been asking for.
This conversation could be the blueprint for how future controversial calls get addressed across all major grappling competitions. That’s the kind of leadership that moves the sport forward.
The grappling world needed these answers, and Craig Jones delivered them. That’s how you handle controversy like a professional.
