For most athletes, receiving a call on short notice to face one of the world’s top submission grapplers on one of the sport’s biggest stages would create hesitation. For Owen Jones, it was exactly the kind of opportunity he had been waiting for.
When ONE Championship needed a replacement opponent for Fabricio Andrey at ONE Fight Night 44 on Jun. 6 at Lumpinee Boxing Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand, Jones didn’t need time to think.
“I jumped on it,” Jones told Combat Press. “I always want to get rematches, and revenge matches are my favorite.”
The matchup carries more significance than a simple promotional debut. Three years ago, a teenage Jones faced Andrey at a smaller European grappling event. After 15 hard-fought minutes, Andrey earned a referee’s decision victory.
Now, Jones gets the chance to rewrite that result under the bright lights of ONE Championship.
“I’ve fought him before,” Jones said. “He beat me by referee’s decision after about a 15-minute match. Anytime I get the opportunity to get one of these rematches, I’m definitely interested.”
The opportunity arrived unexpectedly. Jones knew he had attracted the attention of ONE Championship, but he wasn’t expecting a call to face Andrey.
“I knew I was on the radar for ONE,” he said. “I just didn’t think I was on the radar for that match.”
Instead of viewing the short-notice booking as a challenge, Jones sees it as perfect timing.
The British-born grappler has spent the last several years steadily climbing the ranks of no-gi jiu-jitsu. After beginning his martial arts journey at age 13, Jones devoted himself fully to the sport by age 16, even moving into his gym as a teenager to pursue training full time.
The sacrifices paid off.
Winning the ADCC European Trials established Jones as one of Europe’s premier grappling prospects, while a fourth-place finish at the 2024 ADCC World Championships further solidified his status among the elite.
His rise eventually led him across the Atlantic.
About nine months ago, Jones relocated from England to Atlanta, where he opened Apex Jiu-Jitsu Atlanta with his business partner. The move wasn’t simply about changing scenery. It was a calculated decision based on the growth opportunities available in the United States.
“From a business perspective, America is much better for jiu-jitsu,” Jones said. “It’s a stronger consumer market. There are more tournaments, more seminars, and more opportunities.”
The transition wasn’t seamless. Jones initially found himself navigating a new city without a car or driver’s license. Once those issues were resolved, Atlanta began to feel more like home.
“Now that I have a car, my enjoyment of Atlanta has basically doubled,” he joked.
Away from the mats, Jones maintains a surprisingly simple routine. Training remains the priority, but his free time is spent playing video games, watching anime, and enjoying good food. His preferred reward after competition is equally straightforward.
“Steak and French fries,” he said. “I’m very carb-oriented.”
Despite the rapid changes in his career, Jones remains focused on a simple objective: testing himself against the best grapplers available.
Competing under the ONE Championship banner opens doors to future matchups against many of the sport’s biggest names, but Jones isn’t looking too far ahead.
“My goal is to get as many high-level matches as possible,” he said. “Just more experience against the best guys.”
For now, his attention remains fixed on Bangkok and the opportunity standing across the mat.
Revenge matches can become emotional affairs. Jones doesn’t appear interested in dramatics. Instead, he views the rematch as another chance to measure how much he has evolved since their first meeting.
Three years ago, Andrey was the better grappler on the day.
On Jun 6, Jones gets the chance to prove how much can change in three years.
And if the result goes his way, he’ll spend a week enjoying Thailand before making a stop in Shanghai on the trip back to Atlanta.
Not a bad reward for taking a short-notice fight.