Craig Jones just dropped a bombshell: he’ll be squaring off against Olympic gold medalist Gable Steveson at the Craig Jones Invitational 2 – on August 31st, 2025!
It’s a major announcement that instantly elevates the stakes of CJI 2.
The rest of the card is still unfolding, and another superfight may yet be revealed – but it’s hard to imagine anything topping this collision between one of the most accomplished freestyle wrestlers ever and one of the most influential figures in Jiu-Jitsu.
Gable Steveson’s wrestling pedigree is nearly unmatched.
He was a standout prospect from an early age, racking up world titles in age-group competition before becoming an NCAA All-American at just 19.
His crowning achievement came at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where he secured gold in dramatic fashion.
He followed that up with two NCAA titles and only recently suffered his first major upset in a collegiate final.
Craig Jones, meanwhile, has made his name by taking on the toughest opponents and beating them with elite technique.
But in Steveson, he’s facing not only one of the best athletes to ever step on a mat – but also a man with a significant weight advantage.
Steveson competes at around 120kg, while Jones has typically fought at 88kg and 99kg.
Overcoming a 20+ kilogram weight gap adds a whole new level of difficulty to an already daunting matchup.
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