The Craig Jones Invitational 2 (CJI 2) set a new standard in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu payouts, distributing over $2.5 million in prize money. The event also made history for women’s grappling: teen phenom Helena Crevar earned $100,000, the biggest prize ever awarded in a women’s BJJ tournament.

But despite this historic milestone, female athletes are voicing frustration. The groundbreaking payout to Crevar and the prestige of competing at CJI were overshadowed by a familiar problem—inequality in opportunities and resources compared to men.

“That’s three women’s divisions right there”

When an anonymous donor injected an additional $1 million into the men’s bracket to resolve a finals controversy, Jasmine Rocha called out the disparity:

“CJ said there wasn’t money for more women’s brackets… but when they messed up, they dropped the $ on the men to save face. That’s three $300k women’s divisions right there.”

Broken Promises

Kendall Reusing revealed she was told during the first CJI that women’s divisions would be added in future editions with equal prize money. Instead, CJI 2 once again centered its wealth around men: 40 men competed across million-dollar brackets, compared to only 4 women in a single tournament with no submission bonuses.

“Something is just off… While I can see why this would come across as critical, it’s more out of curiosity than anything else. Like, what happens next?” Reusing posted.

Ffion Davies and Danielle Kelly Weigh In

Ffion Davies echoed Rocha’s criticism, noting that women delivered some of the weekend’s most exciting moments but received no $50,000 submission bonuses:

“Craziest thing is the women had some of the MOST exciting moments this weekend!”

Danielle Kelly added that with more women competing now than ever before, the lack of opportunity feels out of step with the sport’s growth.

A Stark Disparity

Even though CJI 2 broke records for women’s payouts, the broader picture remains uneven:

• Men: $1 million team prizes, $50k submission bonuses, $10k participation fees, and an extra $1M “save face” payout.

• Women: A single bracket, no bonuses, and one historic—but isolated—$100k prize.

Veteran grapplers argue that while history was made, structural inequality persists.

What’s Next?

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu has entered a financial boom, proving it can sustain massive purses independent of MMA. But with millions available for men, female athletes are demanding more than symbolic breakthroughs.

They want transparency, equal opportunity, and meaningful investment in women’s divisions—so that record-breaking payouts don’t just make headlines but reshape the sport for everyone.

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