Craig Jones: Systems, Leg Locks, and No‑Nonsense Coaching for Modern BJJ

Who Craig Jones Is In Modern Jiu‑Jitsu

Craig Jones is widely recognized for high-percentage leg entanglements, sharp back-taking routes, and pragmatic coaching that translates directly to sparring. Rather than being defined by one position, he’s known for turning complicated chains—like outside ashi to backside 50/50 to heel exposure—into simple decision trees that work under pressure. Students look up Craig because his approach feels usable the same week you learn it, whether you’re a hobbyist or preparing for advanced competition.

Craig’s influence is especially visible in how athletes now connect entries, control, and finishes into compact systems. When people say “that looks like Craig’s sequence,” they usually mean an efficient path that eliminates guesswork: clear grips, clear off-balances, and a small set of finish mechanics you can trust.

Craig Jones Videos on BJJ University (Top 20 Videos, Top 10 Courses)

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Craig Jones teaches favorite judo throw !

32s · Craig Jones

This video features Craig Jones teaching his favorite judo throw. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining control on the opponent's second arm and ensuring the opponent's posture is broken. He provides instructions and demonstrations on how to effectively execute this maneuver. The overall lesson focuses on posture control through grip and strategic hip movement.

Technique: Grip Fighting / Hand Fighting Position: Standing — Load & Kuzushi Category: Takedowns/Stand‑Up

INSANE Darce escape by Craig Jones 🤯 #bteamjiujitsu

24s · Craig Jones

Craig Jones demonstrates an escape from a Darce choke in this instructional video. The escape involves baiting your opponent into attempting a Darce choke, then punching your elbow out and lifting your hips up in order to create space. This allows you to look around your opponent's arm, using your legs to push off and pull your head out of the choke.

Position: Darce Choke Category: Escapes

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All Access Pass by Craig Jones

$3399.00 • BJJ Fanatics

The video is an advertisement for the Craig Jones All Access Pass on BJJ Fanatics. It features the expertise of Craig Jones, a renowned competitor and coach recognized for his innovative approach to various techniques such as leg locks, guard work, front headlocks, wrestling integration, and submission hunting. With this pass, you can access Craig's entire BJJ Fanatics library, thereby studying the comprehensive evolution of his game while saving money. Note that future Craig Jones releases will need to be purchased separately.

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CRAIG JONES BREAKS DOWN NINJA CHOKE FROM UFC 296 #bteamjiujitsu

34s · Craig Jones

Craig Jones breaks down the execution of the Ninja Choke as applied in UFC 296. He explains how to trap the opponent's arm and use it to control their posture, highlighting the essential role of weight distribution in setting up the choke. He further demonstrates the technique on a training partner, emphasizing the importance of covering the opponent's head to prevent them from posturing out, and locking in the choke at the bicep to achieve a submission.

Position: Standing — Torso Control Category: Submissions

Craig Jones 🐙 Octopus Guard Reversal 🤯

40s · Craig Jones

The video features BJJ black belt Craig Jones demonstrating his unique approach to implementing the Octopus Guard reversal from side control. Utilizing real sparring examples, Jones outlines the key steps of the move, focusing particularly on positioning and grip setup. No actual instructional content is covered in the implied transcript, it seems to be lyrics to a song and doesn't align with the video's title and description.

Position: Octopus Guard Category: Sweeps

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Down Under Leg Locks Bundle by Craig Jones

$667.00 • BJJ Fanatics

Craig Jones offers a comprehensive course on the art of leg locks in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, specifically targeting lower body attacks. His approach is systematic and scientific, advantageous to anyone seeking to master their leg lock skills regardless of their level of experience. The instruction covers the false reap system, knee bars, saddle and more, with insight on the basics, mechanics, set-ups, and finishes. Over 10 hours of footage are ready for anyone desiring to boost their confidence in lower body attacks.

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Far Side Underhook Pin by Craig Jones

15s · Craig Jones

This video features Craig Jones demonstrating a positional control technique, the Far Side Underhook Pin. This technique makes use of an underhook grip to control the opponent's movement effectively. It involves the practitioner pulling the opponent's arm and placing his shoulder on the ground above it to restrict the opponent's ability to get up and escape. The instruction is focused on maintaining the pin if the opponent attempts to resist or escape.

Technique: Grip Fighting / Hand Fighting Position: Other Category: Positional Control

3 Submissions Every BJJ Black Belt Should Know by Craig Jones, Bernardo Faria & John…

13m · Craig Jones

This video is guided by renowned instructors Craig Jones, Bernardo Faria, and John Danaher, presenting three key submission techniques that they believe every BJJ black belt should know. Initiating with a straight foot lock demonstrated by Craig Jones, the video then progresses onto a choke and an armbar. Bernardo Faria explains a choke setup from side control, focusing on the differential of applying pressure and opening the opponent's defenses. Finally, John Danaher follows up with the presentation of an efficient armbars application.

Technique: Armbar Position: Various Category: Submissions

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The Down Under Bottom Game Bundle by Craig Jones

$599.00 • BJJ Fanatics

The video is a part of the "Down Under Bottom Game Bundle" presented by Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioner, Craig Jones. The tutorial focuses on mastering Jones's unique Z-guard to enhance your bottom game on the mat. The instructional video contains over 10 hours of content that comprehensively covers different aspects of the Z-guard system, offering strategies for effectively employing the technique. By following this instruction, viewers can improve their guard's effectiveness in various combat situations.

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Free Craig Jones Technique: The Reach Around AKA Octopus Guard

5m · Craig Jones

In this instructional video, Craig Jones provides an in-depth tutorial on the Octopus Hip Bump Sweep from the Octopus Guard. First, the instructor explains the basic mechanisms of the technique, using the analogy of a traditional hip bump sweep from closed guard. The principal difference lies in blocking the opponent's leg as opposed to their arm, which would traditionally be done in a hip bump. The instructor also elaborates on the reactionary movements of the opponent when attempting the sweep, noting the importance of reading and responding to the opponent's defensive movements. Lastly, he provides tips on trajectories for finishing positions and potential counters.

Technique: Hip Bump Sweep Position: Octopus Guard Category: Sweeps

New BJJ Triangle Choke Set Up On The Mount by Craig Jones

7m · Craig Jones

This video features renowned BJJ instructor Craig Jones demonstrating a new setup for executing a triangle choke from the mount position. The technique relies on the practitioner posting a hand to the floor, using their fist to apply pressure to the opponent's neck and under their armpit to compromise their base, before transitioning into the triangle choke setup. This set up takes precautions to prevent space for the opponent to counter, immediately securing the ankle to prevent hand retraction. The video emphasizes that this setup does not risk losing the top position even if an opponent tries to clear it.

Technique: Triangle Choke Position: Mount Category: Submissions

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The Down Under Top Game Bundle by Craig jones

$369.00 • BJJ Fanatics

The video features Craig Jones teaching his unique style of guard passing. This style blends the threat of submissions with the potential for a guard pass. The tutorial includes strategies applicable to trainees of any level and explains how to interchange the use of guard passes and submission threats. It also covers how to apply pressure, create fluidity in movements, and how to swiftly and easily pass an opponent's guard.

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Smash Pass by Craig Jones

46s · Craig Jones

In this instructional video, Craig Jones demonstrates how to perform a smash pass from a base passing position in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He first simulates a knee cut to elicit a predictable reaction from his opponent, which will then allow him to execute the smash pass. He also highlights the importance of pressuring the top leg during the pass and the use of the sprawl to establish control. The video is intended to help practitioners improve their guard passing skills.

Position: Standing — Transitional States Category: Guard Passing

Important details behind Islam Makhachev’s D’arce Choke by Craig Jones for Tom Aspinall.

26s · Craig Jones

In this video, Craig Jones breaks down the important aspects of executing a successful D'arce Choke, demonstrating it from a specific position. He explained the proper setup and positioning of hands and elbows. The video also emphasizes the technique of tightening the choke as one pulls the opponent in for the submission. This explanation is inspired by Islam Makhachev's D'arce Choke technique.

Position: Darce Choke Category: Submissions

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Higher Tripod Passing by Craig Jones

$197.00 • BJJ Fanatics

The video is an instructional guide to the Higher Tripod Passing technique in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, taught by Craig Jones. This guide deep-dives into a modern style of passing from the tripod position. Craig explains his systematic approach with detailed explanations and step-by-step guidance. The viewers will learn how to use the tripod position to control the opponent, neutralize their guard and advance strategically, helping them elevate their grappling game.

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Craig Jones showing the toe hold he used to win Quintet #bjj #craigjones #toehold #bteamj…

26s · Craig Jones

In this brief instructional video, renowned grappler Craig Jones demonstrates the toe hold submission technique he used in the Quintet tournament. He emphasizes the importance of punching one's elbow deep during the setup instead of merely grabbing the wrist, which causes the opponent's ankle to bend. Additionally, he reveals a trick for overcoming the common obstacle of the opponent's toes wrapping around - grabbing the top of the knee and sliding the hand up until the toes present themselves. This technique is showcased to secure a tap straight up.

Position: Leg Entanglement Category: Submissions

Craig Jones - Z-Half Guard Choi Bar / Arm Saddle Armbar (Bringing Leg Over The Head)

4m · Craig Jones

The video provides a tutorial on how to execute an armbar from the Z-Half Guard position. Instructor Craig Jones demonstrates the technique, explaining each step in detail. He starts by setting up the position, maintaining a critical grip on the opponent's shoulder, and uses a butterfly grip to secure the set-up. He explains the necessary momentum and tactical steps to ensure successful submission. The video is instructional and contains BJJ content.

Technique: Armbar Position: Half Guard Category: Submissions

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Systematic Submission Dilemmas: High Level Triangle and Leg Lock Combos by Craig Jones

$197.00 • BJJ Fanatics

In this instructional video, Craig Jones, one of the top no-gi grapplers globally, offers an in-depth explanation of his lethal submission system. The video emphasizes combining triangle chokes and leg locks. Jones details various techniques that allow for the best control and potency from different positions. The video also includes live-rolling footage wherein Jones provides step-by-step analysis of the presented concepts.

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The Secret Grip That Craig Jones Uses To Defend Heel Hooks And Leg Attacks

5m · Craig Jones

In this instructional video, Craig Jones demonstrates his technique for defending against heel hooks from the 50-50 guard position. He emphasizes the need for a strong grip on the opponent's far hip, showcasing how this grip effectively neutralizes the opponent's ability to apply knee bar pressure or expose the heel for a hook. Jones further provides an alternative tactic for when both fighters are seated on the ground, advocating for a scoop grip under the opponent's knee to inhibit their ability to attain an advantageous inside knee position. The overall teaching focuses on developing proactive defense mechanisms when confronted with leg attacks.

Technique: Heel Hook Position: Leg Entanglement 50 50 Category: Survival/Defense

Beat The Step Over in BJJ by Craig Jones

2m · Craig Jones

In this video, Craig Jones instructs on how to prevent an opponent from executing a step over in a half guard situation in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, thus helping in guard retention. He gives a detailed explanation on how this can be achieved with techniques that involve using butterfly hooks and codo hooks. The techniques are meant to immobilize or trap the opponent's foot, thereby preventing them from tucking inside, stepping over, or taking control of your back. The video focuses on the importance of being active and strategic with your legs to maintain guard and avoid losing position.

Position: Half Guard Category: Guard Retention

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Get Off My Legs Gringo by Craig Jones

$197.00 • BJJ Fanatics

In this video, BJJ black belt Craig Jones teaches how to escape and counter leg locks effectively. He emphasizes understanding and transforming fear into dominance when someone attacks the lower part of the body. Jones reveals his secrets to slipping the heel when caught in deep heel hooks, lending viewers better knowledge on lower body submissions and reinforcing their defense strategies. This video is crafted to revolutionize the viewer's defensive game, particularly concerning modern leg entanglements.

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Choi Bar from Z-Guard (Craig Jones)

3m · Craig Jones

In this video, Craig Jones, an EBI semi-finalist, explains how to execute a submission known as the 'Choi Bar' from the Z-Guard position. He begins by dealing with a cross face from the opponent, teaching how to frame and grip effectively to secure the submission. Special attention is given to leg positioning and how to circumvent attempts to block the hip. He provides two variations of the move, one for when the opponent's grip on the hip is loose and another for when it's tight.

Position: Z Guard Category: Submissions

How To Use Wrestling to Beat Jiu-Jitsu | Craig Jones Free BJJ Fanatics Technique

8m · Craig Jones

The video is an instructional tutorial by Craig Jones on how to use wrestling principles such as standing up from a turtle position to beat Jiu-Jitsu. Craig explains that the ability to stand up, shake guys off, and strip grips can be extremely effective in a Jiu-Jitsu setting. He further provides step by step details on how to effectively perform a wrestling-based escape when in a turtle position and shows how to address the 'Power Half' situation. Finally, he emphasizes that the technique helps turn a bad situation into a beneficial one by using the opponent's body weight against them.

Technique: Wrestling Concepts Position: Turtle Category: Escapes

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Mexican Ground Karate Escapes Volume 1: Front Headlock Escapes by Craig Jones

$197.00 • BJJ Fanatics

In this instructional video, BJJ expert and ADCC Finalist Craig Jones shares his methods of escaping from front headlocks - a common position in grappling. He explains several submission escapes to evade techniques such as the guillotine and darce chokes. The instruction is based on strategies he has shared with UFC Champion Alexander Volkanovski, which can give confidence to the viewer in escaping serious submission threat from the front headlock position.

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Craig Jones: Power Ride Retrospective - Wrestling Controls for BJJ

24m · Craig Jones

The video is a detailed overview of Craig Jones' grappling technique known as Power Ride. The video discusses how Jones conceptualized and developed the Power Ride strategy, its evolution and how it can be adapted into current BJJ systems. It differentiates between points and control in Jiu-Jitsu, arguing that the ability to restrict the opponent's movement and generate power is the true determinant of control. The video also discusses the historical context and origins of the original back position in BJJ and how the Power Ride technique enables a practitioner to maintain control over their opponent.

Position: Half Guard Category: Transitions

Triangle Escape 1 by Craig Jones

38s · Craig Jones

Craig Jones explains an escape from a triangle technique. He advises the viewer to sit back and cross their own legs in front of the opponent's torso when caught in a triangle lock. Jones asserts that this position makes it more challenging for the opponent to finalize their triangle, and can help the viewer gradually push themselves out of the lock. The escape position also potentially allows for counterattacks targeting the opponent's legs.

Position: Triangle Choke Category: Escapes

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The B Team Bottom Game: Imparting Wrestling, Turtling, and Heisting For Superior Results…

$197.00 • BJJ Fanatics

Craig Jones, an ADCC Medalist, teaches the B-Team Bottom Game, a new grappling style that combines wrestling, turtling, and heisting. He introduces different positions such as stand-ups, 4-point positions, turtle positions, reverse Z guard, and the false half guard. The instructional video encourages forcing opponents into this new style of grappling, offering the use of attacks, throws, submissions, reversals, leg locks, back takes and more. This educational content is delivered across 6 volumes.

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Craig Jones Teaches Morning Class at B-Team | Free Technique

20m · Craig Jones

In this instructional video, Craig Jones, proficient Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt, details an innovative method to apply and finish an arm-triangle choke from the mount position. He begins by critiquing a common approach, highlighting flaws in weight distribution that allow for easy escapes. Jones then proceeds to demonstrate his variation, focusing on maintaining a deep grip and controlling the opponent’s body while performing the choke. Key points include achieving maximum grip deepness, using a 'tripod' stance with the body for control and applying a temple-to-temple pressure for the choke. The instruction integrates both a detailed breakdown and practical application scenarios.

Technique: Triangle Choke Position: Mount Category: Submissions

Straight Foot Lock by Craig Jones

59s · Craig Jones

This YouTube video features Craig Jones demonstrating the Straight Foot Lock technique in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ). Initially setting the thumb below the Achilles tendon, Jones explains the crucial importance of maintaining firm and controlled contact with the opponent's leg throughout the technique. He then details how to shift positioning to best counter the opponent's movements and apply the foot lock safely and effectively. The demonstration ends with tips on adding hip extension to enhance the submission.

Position: Leg Entanglement Category: Submissions

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Make Z Guard Great Again by Craig Jones

$197.00 • BJJ Fanatics

In this instructional video, Craig Jones provides detailed instruction on the Z Guard: a type of half guard game in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. He covers various aspects of this guard position, including common passes, how to counter these passes, and how to transition in and out of the position. Furthermore, he demonstrates how to transition from the Z Guard to various submissions and sweeps. The techniques are explained in a step-by-step manner suitable for grapplers of all levels.

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Teaching Style: Simple Rules, Big Leverage

Craig tends to strip techniques down to a few rules that govern most exchanges. Expect emphasis on angle, inside position, and hand fighting that forces predictable reactions. He’ll show you how to get to a dominant configuration, freeze the opponent’s hips or shoulders, and apply finishing mechanics without muscling.

You’ll also see recurring themes:

• +Inside control beats speed. Whether it’s leg pummeling or back hand-fighting, he prioritizes frames and grips that stall the opponent’s strongest counters.
• +Win the battle before the submission. Craig focuses on off-balancing, hip control, and knee line management so the finish becomes straightforward.
• +Make your A-game modular. He teaches plug-and-play sequences—if one entry stalls, you pivot to a sister position without giving up risk. This modularity is why his students improve quickly: you’re not memorizing moves, you’re learning a repeatable map.

The overall tone is direct and coach-like. He favors cues you can recall mid-roll—pressure direction, where your knees point, which hand wins the grip fight—over long theoretical lectures.

What To Study First From Craig Jones

Start with a leg lock blueprint that covers entries, control, and finishing mechanics. If you’re new to modern leg entanglements, learn the following progression before expanding:

1. 1Entries that create inside position: Use off-balances from seated guard and shin-to-shin to get to outside ashi or cross ashi while staying safe from immediate counters.
2. 2Controlling the knee line: Understand how your hips, knees, and wedges trap the knee line so your opponent can’t slip out. Without this, finishes are low-percentage.
3. 3Exposing the heel safely: Learn how to rotate the opponent, separate the knees, and turn their hips so the heel appears without giving up your base.
4. 4Finishing mechanics that don’t rely on grip strength: Focus on rotational finishes that use whole-body alignment rather than a death squeeze.

Next, pair leg entanglements with back attacks. Craig’s game frequently turns failed leg exposures into back takes or vice versa. Study transitions from 50/50 or backside positions to seated back entries and learn to maintain chest-to-back connection with disciplined hand fighting.

Finally, add wrestling-for-jiu-jitsu. Craig’s material often highlights hand fighting, snap downs, and simple single-leg finishes that flow into guard passing or immediate back exposure. Even if you prefer guard, these standing connections make your overall game more dangerous: offensive stand-ups, quick front headlock snaps, and re-entries into leg attacks when opponents sprawl.

How His Systems Fit Different Body Types And Skill Levels

For beginners: start with safety and structure. Learn the do’s and don’ts of inside leg position, when to bail, and how to build early frames. You’ll get quicker wins by mastering entries that don’t require speed—think controlled off-balances from seated guard into outside ashi.

For smaller athletes: Craig’s emphasis on angles and lever control over strength pays off. Leg entanglements and back exposure sequences scale well because they rely on hip rotation and wedge placement, not size.

For bigger athletes: you’ll enjoy the stability of knee line traps and the pressure you can generate once you understand where to point your hips. His wrestling integrations give you confident takedown-to-ride transitions without burning energy.

For competitors: dial in reactions and counters. Craig’s systems are built on predictable responses—train the “if they turn this way, you pivot here” logic until it’s automatic, then add time- and score-based decision making.

Training Blueprints You Can Apply This Week

• +Positional sparring circuit: 5 rounds starting in outside ashi. Your goal each round: secure knee line, attempt heel exposure, then either finish or convert to the back when they hide the heel. Switch top and bottom every reset so both players get reps countering and escaping.
• +Entry density drill: From seated guard, perform 10 quick off-balance attempts per minute (arm drags, collar ties to knee taps, shin-to-shin entries). The objective is to create frequent inside position, not to force submissions—grease the path to your best positions.
• +Back maintenance micro-battles: Start with one hook and seatbelt. Bottom player’s job is to clear the top hook; top player focuses on blocking the shoulders and winning the first grip. Reset every 20–30 seconds to maximize hand-fight reps.
• +Wrestling connectors: Practice snap-down to front headlock, then either spin behind to the back or sit through to a leg-entry when the opponent circles. Keep the sequence short and crisp so you can actually hit it in live rounds.

Use BJJ University To Organize Your Craig Jones Study

BJJ University is a free, curated hub that helps you learn faster with organized videos, short clips, breakdowns, and instructional resources. Use the navigation menu to browse by instructor, technique, position, category, or training topic, and build a focused study plan around Craig Jones’ systems.

Start with the Craig Jones video library to get an at-a-glance view of leg entanglements, back attack chains, and wrestling integrations. Then branch into related positions—50/50, outside ashi, and back maintenance—so your training sessions stay purposeful. Bookmark BJJ University and share it with teammates who want reliable, free resources without the noise.

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Related BJJ University Pages

• 1Craig Jones video library: Central hub to browse Craig Jones videos, clips, and breakdowns organized by position and topic.
• 2All BJJ instructors: Explore other instructors to complement Craig Jones’ systems and cross-reference related positions.
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