The 185lb division coming to the WNO Championships Sept. 25-26 is fiercely competitive and completely stacked with some of the very best grapplers on the planet.

The Favorite: The Perrenial No. 2 Grappler - Craig Jones

Despite his penchant for second-place finishes, Craig Jones has to open up as the strong favorite of the group of the 185lb division.  The B-Team leader holds wins over several competitors in this division never dropped a loss to any of the other contenders in the bracket. 

His WNO record sits at a perfect 4-0  and includes wins over Roberto Jimenez, Tye Ruotolo in the format - he’s also previously bested Jon Blank at ADCC (2019) and Dante Leon at KASAI Pro 2. 

At first glance, the WNO Championship may seem like a guaranteed success for Jones, but there are several mitigating factors that could have an impact. First,  this will be his first training camp after leaving the Danaher Death Squad and forming 'the B-Team'.  Jones has just relocated across the country from Puerto Rico to Austin, TX, and he is also receiving from surgery on his thumb. 

How will these life changes affect Jones' performance? Only time can tell. 

Enter the 185lb Dark Horse: Tye Ruotolo

The first name that comes to mind is surging athlete Tye Ruotolo.  His recent match with jones at WNO went the full 15 minutes, with Jones visibly gassed by the end of the round.  Tye’s berserker style and relentless pacing clearly was working in his favor in this matchup, and given this is not just a super fight, but a bracket - Ruotolo’s endless cardio is surely one of his strongest weapons.  IF they meet later in the rounds Tye’s chances move up a few notches.

The Disruptor From Bethlaham - Jon Blank

Jon Blank is the unofficial “disruptor” that could take out any of the top names in the division given a single opportunity - when he wins, the 10th planet representative has an incredible 70% submission rate. 

Blank matches up quite well with athletes like Roberto Jimenez and Micael  Galvo and his leg lock game will absolutely put everyone on the division.