Joe Rogan Stunned By MMA Star Dumping $1M Cash On His Desk During Show: '...Never Seen A Million Dollars In One Place!'

Australian jiu-jitsu black belt Craig Jones went on the Joe Rogan Experience podcast and stacked a pile of cash worth $1 million on the table in front of him, declaring the launch of his own MMA tournament.

What Happened: The two-time silver medalist at the prestigious Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) tournament, has announced he will not participate in the 2024 ADCC. Instead, he’s launching his own event, the Craig Jones Invitational (CJI), set for August 16 and 17, which will directly compete with the ADCC.

To promote the event, Jones appeared on the Joe Rogan Experience MMA Show podcast. Although he kept the identity of his financial backer confidential, he demonstrated his financial backing by spectacularly dumping $1 million in cash on Joe Rogan's desk.

The move left the former UFC color commentator astounded, as he exclaimed, "I've never seen a million dollars in one place! I've never even seen a million dollar check."

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Jones, dissatisfied with the prize offerings at ADCC and other organizations like the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation (IBJJF), wants to reform the compensation scales for athletes.

His invitational tournament, described on the CJI website as a nonprofit dedicated to elevating the sport and athlete compensation, will also raise money for charity. To raise the stakes, he’s offering a staggering $1 million grand prize in two weight classes, above and under 80 kilograms.

Jones’s new tournament has already attracted top talent. Competitors like Nicky Ryan, Mason Fowler, and Nicky Rodriguez, previously associated with ADCC, have agreed to participate in the CJI. Additionally, former UFC Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold will compete, and Jones himself will face off against legendary female grappler and undefeated MMA fighter Gabi Garcia in a headline super fight.

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