Jeff Curran Invitational 2: The Ascension brings bold athleticism to McHenry Jan. 10

Twenty-five match-ups set; main event to feature Michael Mutter, Jeff Serafin

Building on the success of his first invitational — JCI 1: The Inception — Sept. 6 at the MAC Sports Center in Crystal Lake, Jeff “Big Frog” Curran is gearing up to host JCI 2: The Ascension Saturday, Jan. 10, 2026, at The Vixen, 1208 N. Green St., McHenry.

The venue will be intimate, the production quality once again high-end, and the intensity of the athleticism on display second to none, Curran said. A resident of Island Lake, Curran is a retired professional MMA fighter, X-treme Fighting Organization co-founder, fifth-degree black belt, owner of the Curran Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Crystal Lake (with 12 affiliates across the country), and, adding a new twist to the list, budding documentarian.

“The Jeff Curran Invitational gives athletes an opportunity to showcase themselves on an elevated stage; not just physically elevated, but elevated in every sense,” said Curran, who sat down to talk about JCI 2 shortly after completing a 10-day, seven-city, 2,600-mile trip during which he gave six seminars and filmed four documentary shorts for a soon-to-launch YouTube series.

In fact, Episode 5 of “Jeff Curran: Martial Life” will focus on, and feature behind-the-scenes footage from, the production of and participating athletes in JCI 2.

Doors will open for the event at The Vixen at 4 p.m. Jan. 10. Twenty-five grappling matches featuring 50 athletes, including 16 women, are planned, with the middleweight championship bout, or main event, featuring Michael Mutter of Team Curran and Jeff Serafin of Serafin Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Evanston. The grappling-style fighting exhibited involves no punching or striking, emphasizing instead the submission holds required to finish the super fights.

Tickets, ranging in price from $75 for a reserved seat in Section 1 to $600 for a four-person mezzanine table with private bar, are on sale at jcinvitational.com, where videos from the first event may be viewed.

Revenue goes toward production for both the live, in-person event as well as livestreaming and paying all of the competitors. Bonuses are paid for such feats as submission of the night or match-up of the night. Athletes whose ticket purchasers name them at checkout receive a percentage of those sales as well.

“For the athletes, it’s a big validation,” Curran said. “My slogan is ‘Athletes First. Always.’”

While a number of local fighters are on the card, competitors also are coming from as far away as Atlanta, Iowa, Minnesota, Michigan, Kentucky and even North Dakota. Exciting fighter match-ups will include Dan Hart, area restaurateur and owner of Hart Jiu Jitsu, Woodstock; and Justin Andrews of Grand Rapids, Michigan, who is coming off a win in JCI 1.

Team Curran has two fighters scheduled to compete: AJ Seratto, a black belt and instructor with Team Curran who also is an officer with the McHenry County Department of Corrections; and Adam Munaretto, a Crystal Lake Police sergeant who has been training at Curran’s academy since 2020.

The second-to-last, or co-main event, will pit Hayden Buckner of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, against UFC vet Mike Santiago from Chicago.

“Hayden is decorated in the grappling world,” Curran said, “while Mike has fought at a very high level in MMA.”

Curran said he’s excited to bring his high-energy event to Green Street in McHenry, where the Riverwalk district has become a draw. Those attending JCI 2 will not be disappointed, predicted Curran, whose ambition is to help catapult the sport of Jiu-Jitsu/Submission Grappling into the big leagues while continuing to put McHenry County on the combat sports map.

“Although I want it to be a national brand, it still will have a local base,” he said, adding that he’d love to see McHenry County become to the sport of Jiu-Jitsu what Las Vegas is to the UFC, or Ultimate Fighting Championship.

He’d also love to see more people who’ve never attended a combat sports event come check it out; they just might witness the next big thing.

“I’m trying to build champions,” Curran said, adding, “This is a sport that’s growing worldwide. I think it needs to be recognized locally. I’m out to get eyes on it by people who’ve never seen it before.”

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.