Derek Moneyberg has released screenshots of private messages between himself and Craig Jones, that appear to show Jones offering to take a dive in a proposed matchup.
The exchange centered around CJI 2, where Jones was set to headline the event, but suddenly found himself without an opponent after Gable Steveson withdrew in the final days before the show.
According to the screenshots, Jones pitched the idea of facing Moneyberg as the new main event.
While it would have been one of the most unusual superfights in Jiu-Jitsu history, Moneyberg immediately declined, citing travel plans in Europe.
As the messages continued, Jones jokingly floated the idea of Moneyberg actually beating him, saying:
I keep thinking we have a match and you beat me…
Funniest sh*t ever.
When Moneyberg pushed back, pointing out the implausibility of defeating someone of Jones’ caliber, Jones responded by offering to “just throw it” instead.
Given Jones’ reputation as one of the best grapplers in the world, such an outcome would have been glaringly obvious to anyone watching.
Still, the tongue-in-cheek tone of the exchange reflects Jones’ often playful approach to promoting his events.
Ultimately, with Moneyberg declining the offer, the CJI team turned to MMA legend Chael Sonnen as Jones’ last-minute replacement opponent.
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