Despite speculation within the BJJ community that Craig Jones might be stepping away from the public eye after his recent CJI event, his involvement with Jack Della Maddalena‘s upcoming title defense against Islam Makhachev tells a different story. According to JDM’s coach Ben Vickers, Jones will be playing a crucial role in the camp preparation leading up to UFC 322 at Madison Square Garden.
Speaking on Submission Radio, Vickers confirmed that Jones will join the Perth-based team after completing his CJI obligations.
“Craig’s coming in, he’s got CJI, and then after that he’s going to come to Perth for a bit and hang with us for a couple of months,”
Vickers revealed. This extended commitment represents a significant upgrade from their previous collaboration, where Jones was only available for a few weeks during Della Maddalena‘s preparation for his title-winning bout against Belal Muhammad.
The decision to bring Jones in for an extended camp appears strategic, given Islam Makhachev‘s renowned grappling credentials and Dagestani wrestling pedigree. Vickers expressed confidence in having Jones as a training partner, stating,
“Craig’s a better grappler than Islam is. So we have the guy there that we need. If Jack can handle Craig, which he can because I’ve watched it numerous times and Craig says himself, he picks things up from Jack all the time.”
This mutual learning relationship between Jones and Della Maddalena has proven beneficial in the past. Jones previously assisted Alexander Volkanovski in his preparation for Makhachev, contributing to what many considered Volkanovski‘s best performance in their first encounter. Now, that same expertise will be channeled toward preparing the Australian welterweight champion for his first title defense.
The extended camp arrangement addresses one of the key challenges in preparing for Makhachev – finding high-level grappling partners who can replicate the Dagestani champion’s wrestling style and pace. Jones, who Vickers describes as
“the second best grappler in the world, self-confessed,”
provides that elite-level resistance that will be crucial in Della Maddalena‘s preparation.
Vickers emphasized the collaborative nature of their training environment, where Jones joins an established coaching trio of himself, Ryan Gray and Josh Dell.
“The confidence Jack gets from having Craig, the second best grappler in the world, in his camp at all times and helping… we’re very confident in our team,”
Vickers noted.
The timing works perfectly for both parties. Jones just wrapped CJI 2 commitments, while Della Maddalena benefits from having months rather than weeks to work with one of the world’s premier grapplers. This extended preparation period could prove decisive in what promises to be one of the most challenging grappling matchups in recent welterweight history.
With Madison Square Garden hosting this blockbuster title defense, having Jones in camp for the full preparation represents a significant investment in ensuring Della Maddalena is as prepared as possible for the Dagestani challenge that awaits him in New York.
Islam Makhachev faces Jack Della Maddalena at UFC 322 On November 15, 2025 in New York.
