Alexander Volkanovski’s main sparring partner reveals the dark side of training with Craig Jones
Alexander Volkanovski's Brazilian jiu-jitsu (CJJ) coach, Craig Jones, has garnered a large combat sports fanbase due to his unique and boundary-pushing personality. He has been part of Volkanovski's coaching team since 2021, and has worked with the former champion's corner for his UFC 314 clash on April 12.
UFC bantamweight and main sparring partner for 'The Great', Colby Thicknesse recently lifted the lid on what the experience of training with Jones has been like. The 135-pound fighter did not hold back on the BJJ athlete's almost sadistic sense of humor. He said:
"He popped my knee in fifteen seconds, the f**k-wit. He's 90-something [kilograms]... The s**t thing is, he's a s**t training partner. But he does it in a safe-enough way where it's not actually [walking] over into a bad training partner. He's just s**t. He'll smother you, he'll hit you with bulls**t. He'll embarrass you. But he hasn't technically done anything too bad, like broken your heel or anything like that, yet. But I do hope he still owes me a round from Vegas.."
Check out Alexander Volkanovski's sparring partner discuss Craig Jones below (37:00):
Take a look at what Craig Jones thinks of Alexander Volkanovski's upcoming opponent's BJJ skills
Alexander Volkanovski will clash with Diego Lopes at UFC 314 on April 12 for the vacant featherweight title. The pay-per-view card will take place in Miami, with the 145-pound title clash headlining a stacked night of fights.
Volkanovski will be looking to bounce back from two consecutive knockout defeats, while Lopes will be looking to fulfill his dreams of becoming a world champion. The Brazilian-born Mexican boasts immense knockout power, but according to Volkanovski's BJJ coach, he also has some of the best grappling in the UFC.
Craig Jones shared massive praise for Lopes' BJJ skillset during a preview of the UFC 295 card in 2023, where Lopes faced fellow elite grappler Pat Sabatini. During Jones' preview, he commented on the Lopes' debut performance aginst Movsar Evloev at UFC 288, saying:
"He came in against Movsar Evloev... I still to this day think [Lopes] won that fight, even though he was in bottom position. Some of the most impressive bottom-game jiu-jitsu I've ever seen. He even submitted Gavin Tucker in his previous fight, which is crazy 'cause obviouly Tucker is a fantastic grappler himself."
Check out Craig Jones discuss Alexander Volkanovski's upcoming opponent below (22:42):