Beyond the Pit Of CJI 2025: What I Liked & Disliked
Choke Point Chronicles is where strategy meets storytelling. Each post explores the tactics, psychology, and culture of Jiu-Jitsu, written for students and coaches who want to train with intention and think deeper about the art.
Tapped In is a short-form audio series built for grapplers chasing mastery, not medals. Weekly insights blending mindset, structure, and real-talk in just 15-20 minutes.
Upgrade to premium for just $5/month to unlock deeper essays, bonus audio, and behind-the-scenes coaching content.
👉 Join BJJ Mental Models+ (Code: FIGUEROAMARTINEZ)
Beyond the Pit Of CJI 2025: What I Liked & Disliked
I absolutely loved the first iteration of CJI. The pacing and action was intense. The concept was new; from the structure of the pit in a Jiu-Jitsu event to the rule structure.
It was all unique and fresh.
In the end, no Jiu-Jitsu/Pro Grappling will never be perfect. It doesn’t matter what rule structure we put in place, there’s always going to be some issues with it. Athletes will eventually begin to game the system, either to save themselves for the next round or to save face in hopes of not being placed on someone’s highlight reel.
Ultimately, the goal should be to minimize it as much as possible.
That first night was pretty rough as a viewer.
Athletes appeared to be fighting defensively in order to not get submitted, instead of trying to submit their opponent. Strategically, it was part of the team dynamic for this specific event. Where in certain cases, it made sense for one athlete to fight to a draw in order to eliminate themselves along with a strong player from the other team.
What I did appreciate was that Craig Jones threw out $50k bonuses in order to drive the intensity and aggression.
A Tapped In Episode You Might Like
E43 | Bonus Ep | Story Time
What I Liked
Free On YouTube - I had mixed feelings about this. I loved that the last event was free on YouTube and is still available on the platform a year later. I appreciate that the live event was presented through YouTube, but wasn’t so happy that it will end up on FloGrappling by the end of Monday. But I get it, it’s a money thing. I’m being picky.
Joseph Chen’s Passing - Chen’s passing is so much fun to watch. He has this way of eliminating his opponent’s ability to frame, driving his weight down, and obtaining that chest to chest connecting. Definitely look him up.
$50k Bonuses - After Saturday’s lackluster Team Duel performances, Craig announced submission bonuses which really pushed some of the athletes to chase the finish on Sunday.
Gabi Love - I said this last year, I love the fact that Gabi is getting her moment in the sun. For so long, she was the villain of Jiu-Jitsu and MMA. I love that she’s being embraced by the community now.
Sarah Galvao - Sarah was by far the highlight of night one. Her pace, aggressiveness, along with a well balanced tactical approach made her incredibly fun to watch. This takedown off the pit wall was a fun moment.
What I Disliked
Renato Laranja - These segments were awful. Either pair Renato with someone who can be funny with him, or find someone new who can carry these segments. The segment with Tom DeBlass was disgusting. You can watch a segment of the segment below.
Referees - The referees need to penalize competitors who are not pushing the action. They were way too passive on night one, which ultimately resulted in so many of the double eliminations and moments of stalling.
Leg Entanglements - I understand that for some people, the leg entanglement game is fun and exciting. Honestly, it bores me. I don’t want to watch two people grab at feet for eight minutes. If it doesn’t captivate someone who’s been in the sport for fourteen years, it’s not going to help pull in newer viewers.
Run/Start Time: If this event is going to be five or six hours long, start it earlier. I’m on the West Coast and could only imagine what it would feel like trying to make it through this event while living out of the East Coast time zone.
Gimmicky Super Fights - I don’t need nor want the gimmicky shit. I know it works for some people but, please stop.
That Jiu-Jitsu Guy’s Quick Day One and Day Two Review
If you’d like a quick breakdown of the event, these two video.
Unexpected Moments
Submission Finish Bonuses
After day one of the event, Craig Jones jumped onto social media and established a $50k bonus for submission finishes for the team duels. This was fantastic news!
Renato Laranja
All of the Renato segments were trash. All of them. This one specifically was disgusting, incredibly unprofessional, and hurtful to the brand and community. For a community that wants to be seen on bigger stages, with more sponsors, and a wider audience, segments like these cannot be part of our events.
Kit Dale’s White Belt Movie
This is kind of unrelated to the event itself but I happen to catch the commercial for this movie and I’m ALL IN! I’ve been a fan of Kit Dale for quite a while, I even got the opportunity to meet him back when I was a Blue Belt at an IBJJ event. He was nice enough to take a picture with me that day.
I’m looking forward to seeing this, however it turns out.
If you’re interested in supporting, please visit WhiteBeltMovie.Com.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I enjoyed the event. Like all events, there are highs and lows, and I genuinely hope that we have more of these. Craig Jones is definitely onto something here. I know he cares. He’s putting his own name out there, trying to better fighter pay, exposure, and I wholeheartedly commend him for his dedication and the solid attempt.
With each iteration, my hope is that the event continues to take steps forward. As fans, we should be as supportive as possible. This has never been done before in Jiu-Jitsu, they are bound to make mistakes, they are bound to stumble at time, and that’s ok.
Thank you to Craig and Seth.
If you’re interested and would like to take advantage of one of a few scholarship spots that I’m giving out for free, comment and ask to be added.
You’ll have full access to:
General Discussion – Connect with other members, share experiences, and exchange ideas.
Ask Me Anything – Post your questions about training, mindset, or anything BJJ-related and get my direct input.
Technique Breakdowns – Detailed explanations and coaching notes on key positions and movements.
Video Reviews – Upload your training footage for personalized feedback.
Courses – Structured lessons and training plans to guide your progress.
All I ask is that you participate, ask questions, and make the most of the space. The more you engage, the more you will get out of it.
Thank you for reading.
David Figueroa-Martinez
Founder, DFM Coaching
Coach | Writer | Grappler
DFM Coaching is dedicated to helping you overcome mental hurdles and achieve your full potential in BJJ. Whether through in-person instruction, seminars, private lessons, remote coaching, or video analysis, I provide personalized support tailored to your needs. Keep pushing forward, and let’s grow together!