Is the Craig Jones vs. Gabi Garcia intergender CJI match canceled? Latest update after kissing fiasco

The Craig Jones vs. Gabi Garcia intergender match at the CJI was recently marked by a tense face-off between Jones and Garcia, during which Jones forcibly kissed his opponent. Garcia reacted with outrage, accusing Jones of taking his promotional efforts too far.

It led to an Instagram post from Jones, in which he supposedly claimed that the grappling matchup was canceled due to 'Brazilians not being able to take a joke.' However, given the satirical nature of the match's buildup and the fact that Jones doesn't take himself too seriously, if at all, doubts have emerged.

Some wonder if it is yet another promotional stunt to drum up interest in the upcoming bout or if Jones has indeed offended Garcia beyond the point of no return.

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The Craig Jones vs. Gabi Garcia match has had an unconventional buildup

Much of the leadup to their bout has involved Craig Jones and Gabi Garcia poking fun at each other on Instagram while also toeing the line between hate-fueled passion and fabricated animosity for the purpose of hyping up their matchup. Jones, in particular, has frequently teased sexually charged undertones.

Check out the Jones vs. Garcia interview:

In fact, both Jones and Garcia took part in a humorous interview with American comedian Rhasaan Orange, who played a fictional Brazilian known as 'Renato Laranja,' who served as the interviewer.

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Is the Craig Jones vs. Gabi Garcia intergender CJI match canceled?

Not long after claiming that the match was off, Craig Jones took to Instagram with a still of him and Gabi Garcia kissing, asserting that the bout was back on. Moreover, his Instagram stories also show the two of them signing posters together well after the supposed fight-canceling kiss.

Additionally, the great Cris Cyborg was among those who reacted to the kiss, finding humor in it with several laughing emojis. This is notable given Cyborg's friendship with Garcia, so it is more than likely that the kiss was staged, as was Garcia's explosive reaction to it.

No official announcement was made to signal a true cancellation of the bout, and Jones and Garcia are still expected to face each other tomorrow, Aug. 17.