Craig Jones has made a decisive move that has captured the attention of the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu community, announcing that his charity will donate $48,000 to ensure female competitors receive equal compensation at the upcoming ADCC World Championship. The decision comes in direct response to ADCC’s recent announcement that only male athletes would see increased prize purses for the 2026 event in Poland.
Craig Jones revealed his plans in a video statement explaining the disparity that prompted his action.
“They announced that the women’s pay was going to remain increased as of the last ADCC but they doubled the men’s pay that’s a sixteen thousand dollar difference for the three women’s weight divisions in total $48,000 dollars,” Jones said.
“I’ve decided out of the kindness of my own heart and the fair fi ght foundation to pay the $48,000 difference so that women and men get paid the same for adcc.”
The pay gap issue has been a persistent concern in the sport. Ffion Davies and Renzo Gracie have previously noted, the prize money offered at even the most prestigious tournaments falls short of what top athletes can earn in a single weekend conducting seminars. For many elite competitors particularly those based in higher cost of living regions like the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, the financial incentive to compete remains limited.
Jones’ charitable intervention sends a clear message about gender equity in professional grappling and demonstrates the power individual athletes can wield in advocating for systemic change.
Helena Crevar publicly thanked Jones for his support. In his response, Jones highlighted Crevar’s popularity and drawing power.
It’s also worth noting that her match against Sarah Galvao at the Craig Jones Invitational represented the second highest viewership peak according to YouTube analytics, trailing only his own exhibition match.
“@cjiofficial couldn’t match pay either, but we trying.” Jones wrote, acknowledging that even his own competing event faces financial challenges.
Jones had threatened to schedule his competing Craig Jones Invitational event on the same weekend and location as ADCC if Michell was not removed from the competitor roster.
“yesterday i said i’d host a cji the same day as adcc in poland this year i was a bit upset that’s obviously a joke i’m not going to Poland, nobody is,” Jones clarified in his statement.
Despite the gravity of the allegations and the active warrant, official ADCC channels have remained silent on the matter. Multiple media outlets have reached out to ADCC organizers and the Poland event’s marketing team without receiving responses.
Jones’ decision to fund equal pay for female competitors represents a practical solution to an immediate problem while highlighting the broader issues facing professional grappling.
Whether ADCC will respond to Jones’ criticism or adjust their compensation structure for future events remains to be seen. For now female competitors at ADCC 2026 will compete knowing that at least one prominent voice in the sport believes their performances deserve recognition equal to their male counterparts.
