Craig Jones revealed the full scope of allegations against former Kingsway team member Izaak Michell. In a series of Reddit posts under his confirmed account, Jones disclosed that more than twenty women have come forward with accusations against Michell, who currently remains outside U.S. jurisdiction in Australia.
“Izaak living in a van in Gold Coast punishment free with [count] double digits,” Jones wrote on the r/grappling subreddit, addressing critics who have questioned his handling of the situation.
The Australian grappler has faced backlash for releasing text message exchanges with John Danaher and Gordon Ryan, which Jones maintains demonstrate how Michell was warned about the investigation while overseas.
The messages, posted earlier this week, show Danaher explaining his initial response when the first complaint emerged.
“He was immediately told by me when the initial complaint was made that he is no longer a member of our gym and that our friendship was over. This was done to prevent him returning and trying to confront the [person who made the complaint],” Danaher wrote, according to the screenshots.
“He was overseas at the time so that was the only way to communicate.”
A second text, reportedly from Gordon Ryan, stated:
“We immediately informed Michell that he was banned henceforth from Kingsway and that a police report had been filed.”
Jones argues this sequence of events allowed Michell to avoid arrest.
“Accusation, police notified, suspect out of the country. Alerts (Izaak) of investigation before speaking to police. Izaak does not return to be arrested,” he explained in his Reddit commentary.
“Police would have told him we have a strong case, get him back.”
The situation has placed Jones in what he describes as an impossible position. On one hand, he’s been working directly with law enforcement while supporting multiple women who have shared their experiences with him. On the other, he’s faced criticism for not revealing more information publicly.
“The balancing act of protecting privacy whilst sending warning signals in a society that doubts every single accusation,” Jones wrote.
“The idea to me that I’d falsely accuse is crazy. There are many skeletons in these closets.”
Jones revealed he spent months providing support to those who contacted him.
“I’m complicit for protecting the privacy of [those] I speak to indoctrinated in a cult. Offering support because that cult isn’t. I spent months guiding [them] to therapy and hearing gut wrenching stories.”
According to Jones, Michell will not face extradition due to budgetary constraints, leaving him free in Queensland despite the Texas charges related to allegations made by Hannah Griffiths, another Kingsway member.
The controversy has exposed deeper tensions within the sport. During a recent appearance on the Overdogs USA podcast, Ryan addressed cultural issues in BJJ, though he was discussing a different situation involving Andre Galvao.
“I do feel like there is just a culture within jiu-jitsu where, you know, in Brazil, for example, I think the legal age is a lot lower,” Ryan said.
“So I think that because the culture is dominated so much, so heavily by Brazilian culture that it kind of became more normalized in our sport than it otherwise would have in other sports.”
For Jones, the frustration extends beyond this single case to what he sees as systemic failures within competitive grappling.
“This is why we have a sport riddled with people like this,” he wrote.
“Because of one mistake by the coach, Izaak will never get arrested without entering the USA. But [ ] me right.”
Working alongside detectives on the case while managing the privacy concerns of multiple individuals has taken its toll.
As Jones put it bluntly in one Reddit exchange:
“But hey I’m a clout w**re.”
The case against Michell in Texas remains active, though his location in Australia presents significant jurisdictional challenges for law enforcement.
