- Craig Jones forcefully kissed his opponent Gabi Garcia in the face-off prior to their fight
- The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu match was billed as the first ever intergender match
- Jones won the match with relative ease in the second round
The first ever controversial intergender Brazilian Jiu Jitsu match ended in just two rounds.
The match between Craig Jones and Gabi Garcia was originally ‘cancelled’ when chaos ensued during a confrontation.
During the two’s meeting ahead of the Craig Jones invitational, Jones grabbed Garcia’s face before kissing her on the lips.
Jones, 33, entered the bout with a career-high 55 wins, but some saw him as an underdog against Brazilian Garcia, who has 71 wins, including five in mixed martial arts.
But things would turn out very differently on the mat as the Australian fighter added another win to his resume, this time via rear naked choke.
It was a fight that almost didn’t happen due to Jones’ antics in the face-off.
In a video of the incident shared to Jones’ Instagram account, Garcia can be seen once again towering over her shirtless opponent as she stands face-to-face with her opponent.
Almost immediately afterward, Jones grabbed Garcia’s head and kissed him.
Garcia, 38, yelled in response and was seen chasing Jones as he fled the scene.
Jones then posted a message on social media stating that “Brazilians can’t take a joke” and that the fight was canceled, before stating that the fight would go on again.
Craig Jones won the match against Gabi Garcia by a rear naked choke in the second round
Despite Garcia’s clear height advantage, Jones would have the upper hand.
The video shows the 33-year-old maintaining control of his larger opponent as Garcia struggles to keep him from executing a submission.
Her efforts are in vain, however, because a second or two before she has to tap out, she gives the referee a thumbs up.
Jones’ victory was met with boos as he released the hold.
In a perhaps surprising twist, the two shared a moment of respect after the match.
Before the video ends, Garcia can be seen kneeling and bowing her head to the mat as a sign of respect for her opponent.
The 38-year-old even took to social media to express her gratitude to Jones following her defeat.
In an Instagram story, Garcia said, “I really want to express my gratitude and love for you @craigjonesbjj!
“This month you have worked hard and changed the sport! I hope people get the chance to know you one day!
‘You [sic] You are an incredible person! Really! Funny and now one of my best friends! I am proud of you! You [sic] made!!
‘Thank you for giving me the chance to make another dream come true!
I’ve been waiting a lifetime for this moment and it only happened because of you! From my heart love and respect!’
It was an ending to the saga that not many expected after their clash during the stare-down.
But it appears Jones certainly has Garcia’s love and respect after their hard-fought fight.