Something's Gonna Snap: Who Taps First, Tex Johnson or Craig Jones?
Something's Gonna Snap: Who Taps First, Tex Johnson or Craig Jones?
Craig Jones versus Tex Johnson will go far beyond a flurry of leg pummeling.
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A quick reading of Craig Jones and Aaron 'Tex' Johnson would have one believe this is to be a battle of two leg lockers, but in truth, Craig Jones and Tex Johnson will go far beyond a flurry of leg pummeling.
Let's rewind.
The pair met at the end of 2017 at EBI 14, Craig submitted Tex with a lightning-fast inside heel hook (the theme of that particular event), but much time has passed since their first dance, and both athletes have modified and adjusted their game considerably since.
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- Tex Johnson (5 KASAI matches – 3 wins, 1 loss, 1 draw)
- Craig Jones (10 KASAI matches – 6 wins, 3 losses, 1 draw)
Craig's game has become significantly more well-rounded since his breakout year in 2017: specifically, he has shown a growing commitment to wrestling and playing on top – a prime example of this being his performance at GrappleFest 4 in February this year where he cut through Gabriel Arges' guard like butter and finished the match on the back with a rear naked choke.
But it makes sense that he would. Craig's opponents are all-too-well aware of the danger his leg locks pose, and they've taken attack him in ways that maintain a safe distance from any leg lock entries.
Thus, Craig has even started to adjust the way he plays guard, opting to sit in butterfly guard and hunt for kimura traps and straight armlocks – as a means to finish the match, earn a sweep, or possibly enter into various leg entanglements.
Though he lost the match in overtime, a great illustration of the evolution of Craig's game can be seen in his rematch with Matheus Diniz.
Craig Jones vs Matheus Diniz Third Coast Grappling 2
Meanwhile, Tex has gone on to fine-tune his leg lock attacks – his ADCC Trials campaign saw him set the record for the quickest path to the champion (3 minutes of match time) and he submitted Felipe Pena four months later at KASAI Pro 5 with a devastating inside heel hook.
Tex Johnson ADCC East Coast Trials Highlight
While it's true that leglocks are Tex's weapon of choice, it should be noticed that he has incredible hip mobility for a man of his size and is entirely comfortable inverting, making guard passing a tall order for anyone he's against.
He also has a savage triangle.
One Man's Take:
This is a tough match for Tex to win.
His leg attaks are his best weapon and they align exceptionally well with Craig's own strengths; it's unlikely that Tex will surprise the Australian with his leg lock entries. More than this, Tex is 100% committed to securing the finish from guard: he's reluctant to sweep to top, meaning that he won't be looking for points in this match whatsoever.
Craig, on the other hand, has opened up his game considerably since the two faced off nearly two years ago – and his passing game has developed entirely with heel hooks and reaping elements in mind.
It's with this consideration that we believe that Craig stands at a distinct advantage to at least put points on the board in this match, whereas Tex may be hellbent on securing the finish at all costs.