In an interview following the controversial Craig Jones Invitational 2 (CJI2) event, New Wave Jiu-Jitsu’s Vagner Rocha opened up about the disputed team competition results and the subsequent fallout that has rocked the grappling world.
The 44-year-old veteran, who made a remarkable comeback after serious heart problems earlier this year, was recruited by legendary coach John Danaher just two weeks before the event. Despite doctors initially telling him he might never compete again, Rocha’s faith and determination saw him cleared medically just days before receiving Danaher’s call.
“John sends me a message calling me and saying, man, how are you, how is your health? I said, man, I’m 100%,” Rocha recalled. The coach’s strategic vision was clear: position Rocha as the team’s defensive anchor against larger opponents. “He said, man, you strategically, you’re the guy who can dominate and can eliminate someone,” Rocha explained.
The controversy centers around New Wave’s belief that they won the team competition 3-2, with victories by Mikey Musumeci, Giancarlo Bodoni, and Dorian Olivarez. However, the final decision was ruled a draw due to scoring discrepancies that favored B-Team.
As Rocha stated: “We won three. Three to two. Already there you see that we won. The way they took the victory, they tried to take it in a rule that is in a book that is not in the contract that we signed.”
The situation escalated when an anonymous donor—later revealed as CJI’s primary benefactor—announced plans to award New Wave an additional $1 million, stating that based on their interpretation of the rules, New Wave should have won. Craig Jones responded curtly to this development: “Investors decision not mine. I don’t agree.”
Rocha, however, maintains a diplomatic stance despite the controversy. “I don’t want to accuse anyone,” he said, emphasizing gratitude for the opportunity. “There are things that I don’t agree with, of course, who doesn’t do it… but it doesn’t mean that I’m not grateful for what the person is doing.”
The veteran credits New Wave’s success to their strategic, position-specific training methodology, which is a stark contrast to traditional “roll every day” approaches. “The training is basically a very specific training. It’s two trainings a day. Two hours. With an hour of difference in the middle. And a lot of strategy,” Rocha explained.
Regarding Craig Jones’ influence on professional jiu-jitsu, Rocha acknowledges the promoter’s significant financial contributions to athletes while noting areas for improvement. “Despite all Craig Jones’ controversies, and whether or not to agree with him, today he is the promoter who put the most money directly in the hands of the athletes,” he said, while suggesting the sport could benefit from “cleaner things” and less controversial elements.
Looking forward, Rocha expressed hope that more investors will recognize jiu-jitsu’s potential, pointing to the massive crowds at recent events as evidence of the sport’s growing appeal.
