Mackenzie Dern Wants CJI 2 'Money' After UFC Win
01/13/2025 09:30 AM
UFC star and BJJ champ Mackenzie Dern says Craig Jones 'always brings the money'
Mackenzie Dern is fresh off an impressive UFC main event win, where she flexed her world class jiu-jitsu skills and submitted Amanda Ribas. The UFC star plans to take the slow route to the title and isn't sure who she's going to fight next, but Dern clearly is interested in returning to her grappling roots.
The four-time Brazilian Jiu-jitsu (BJJ) world champion previously competed at the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) event, and says she wants to join the next one too.
"Definitely. (Craig Jones) always brings the money," Mackenzie Dern said about her interest in being part of CJI 2.
"It's a good show. I like how he brings the entertainment to jiu-jitsu. We kind of need that," Dern told the media after her UFC Vegas 101 win. "I think it reaches a lot of different people, which is one of the reasons why I came to MMA: to try and spread jiu-jitsu to people who never even seen martial arts or practice martial arts."
CJI was infamously created to go against established organizations like ADCC, and increase the pay for BJJ athletes. Craig Jones and his team put up the highest payout in the sport, with show money for competitors and $2 million in prizes.
Dern says she likes what CJI is doing to help grow the sport.
"I don't know if (Craig Jones) can do lots of events like that, like once a month, but it definitely helps push the purses, and the types of athletes that want to get involved," Dern said. "Last one they had Olympic wrestler fighting jiu-jitsu players. And it's different inside the pit, so it's really cool to kind of test us and put our jiu-jitsu against different mat, and different rule set. It's really cool and definitely helps elevate the jiu-jitsu scene."
While Dern expressed interest in joining CJI again, the UFC is also currently trying to "take over jiu-jitsu," and plans to run six UFC Fight Pass Invitational (UFC FPI) events in 2025.
"Last time I fought in Craig Jones' event, (the UFC) were like 'you've got to fight in our event,' ... the (UFC Fight Pass) Invitational," Dern revealed. "But yeah, I'd be down (for CJI 2) for sure."
The second Craig Jones Invitational is planned to take place on August, and will have a completely different format this time around. Instead of two 16-man tournaments, CJI 2 will be a team vs. team tournament.
