Overview

• After initially downplaying talks, Sonnen posted a video saying “Craig Jones International 2 finally got interesting,” signaling he will headline against Jones this weekend.
• Gable Steveson withdrew days ago citing a toe injury, yet he is booked to make a short‑notice MMA debut on LFA/UFC Fight Pass roughly 12 days after pulling out.
• Gordon Ryan framed the timing as a “baller move by UFC” in an Instagram post, suggesting the promotion benefited from or engineered the change.
• Craig Jones countered by implying a contract breach and shared a screenshot showing Steveson’s account ‘liked’ Ryan’s post, while CJI commentator Alex Wendling questioned possible UFC involvement.
• CJI 2 runs Aug. 30–31 at the Thomas & Mack Center, with a $1,000,000 team tournament as the primary draw even as the superfight lineup shifts.