Grappling competition returns to The Vixen in McHenry May 9
McHENRY — With athletes arriving from across the country, not just one but five title bouts on the fight card, and 26 thrilling matches altogether, JCI 3 promises action-packed excitement for participants and spectators alike.
Jeff Curran Invitational 3: The Dominion is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, at The Vixen, 1208 N. Green St., McHenry. Doors will open at 4 p.m. for the all-ages show, with the first of the no-gi, submission-only fighters stepping onto the mat about 6 p.m. Seven of the fights, including two of the title fights, will feature female athletes. The last fight of the night, aka the main event, will see 19-year-old Kai Saturno take on Joey Diehl, who is defending his bantam-weight belt.
Tickets, starting at $75, are available at jcinvitational.com.
Jeff “Big Frog” Curran, 48, of Island Lake, is professor of the Curran Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Crystal Lake. He’s also a former pro-level Mixed Martial Arts fighter who amassed a 37-18-1 win-loss-draw record, according to the MMA fighter page at Tapology.com. Now featured in a new YouTube series called “The Martial Life,” Curran said he started his competitions to offer athletes a respectful, showcase event in which to demonstrate their prowess — and to potentially catapult some careers.
With no punching, striking or kicking, Curran’s events are not MMA fights. Instead, competitors use wrestling, jiu-jitsu and other martial arts maneuvers to subdue an opponent. They win by forcing a verbal or physical tap-out. A regulation fight lasts seven minutes — a long time if you are the one in full-exertion mode on the mat — with a three-minute overtime added as necessary.
The emphasis is on technique and aggressiveness, with respect for one’s opponent always, always on display,” Curran said, adding that he has reviewed more than 250 applications to date for his three invitationals, the first of which was last September at The MAC in Crystal Lake, while the second took place in McHenry in January.
He studies fighters’ backgrounds, weight class information and more to create ideal pairings. And, having been a part of the pro MMA scene, Curran learned well the elements of putting on an entertaining show. He hires a crowd-pleasing emcee, has a panel of judges ready for split decisions in the relatively rare instance no submission is achieved, makes sure the stage lighting is just right, produces a livestream available on YouTube, and chooses venues that favor both the fighters and the audience.
It’s a winning combination, said Karla Reinhardt, a Crystal Lake resident and Johnsburg School District 12 administrator who, along with her husband, Josh, has attended each invitational to date and can’t wait for JCI 3.
“I think everyone should attend one of these events,” she said, noting she and her two youngest children, ages 7 and 9, are Curran Academy students. At the invitiationals, she said, she’s seen everyone from 18-year-olds to those of grandparenting age take the stage, always with a friendly fist bump to start.
“It is so empowering to see someone your age and your gender putting themselves out there,” she said. “It’s a high-impact sport, but with so much heart.”
Justin Seeberger, an instructor at the Curran Jiu-Jitsu Academy who competed at JCI 1 and who will compete again at JCI 3, said the tremendous thing about Curran’s invitationals is that he makes them fun for all.
“If people are looking to just enjoy a night out with the family, if they’re looking for an all-ages show with a lot of action, they’ve definitely found the right event,” said Seeberger, a McHenry High School wrestling standout in the early 2000s who went on to be an undefeated MMA amateur from 2011 to 2013.
JCI 3 will feature standouts from as far north as Minnesota, as far south as Georgia, as far west as Utah and as far east as Virginia. The event is gaining acclaim in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu circles, having been featured in GRACIE Magazine as well as BJJ Eastern Europe.
Additionally, it’s attracting both local and nationally prominent sponsors, including hydrogen-infused NAMA Water, launched in conjunction with Snapt Beverages by UFC fighter Rose Namajunas, who will be on hand at The Vixen May 9, Curran said.
“It’s an exciting success story,” he said. “We’ve planted our seed and we’ve grown from it.”
JCI 4 already is in the works, planned for Sept. 19 back at The MAC in Crystal Lake, where Curran himself might just step back on the competition mat, he hinted.
To see the full JCI 3 fight card, and to purchase tickets, click the Buy Tickets button at jcinvitational.com. Support for individual fighters can be registered at check-out. Those not in attendance will be able to find the livestream free on YouTube @JeffCurranInvitational, or visit jcinvitational.com for links, videos, images, highlights and more.