Gordon Ryan
BJJ Star Gordon Ryan Puts a Price on Defeating Former Teammates at UFC Fight Pass Invitational 4
Gordon Ryan, the renowned BJJ star, continues to be embroiled in a feud with his former teammates. In a surprising move, Gordon Ryan is not competing this week but is instead offering bounties on his former teammates who have matches at the UFC Fight Pass Invitational 4.
The split between Ryan and his former teammates, the “Danaher Death Squad” from Renzo Gracie Academy in New York, occurred in 2021. Ryan, along with John Danaher and others, formed a new team called New Wave Jiujitsu, while Craig Jones, Nicky Rodriguez, and Ryan’s younger brother Nicky Ryan established the “B-Team.”
While Jones enjoys teasing and jokingly mocking Ryan online, it seems that the tension is more personal for Ryan.
Some of Ryan’s former teammates are featured on the stacked UFC Fight Pass Invitational 4 event, and he has offered a $500 reward to anyone who can defeat Craig Jones and Nicky Rodriguez in the BJJ event. Ryan expressed his intentions on Instagram, stating, “I’ve privately invested thousands of dollars into this venture. Bounties are out, and they always stick because this team is so utterly atrocious they can’t win anything 😭.” He further added, “Anyone who beats Nicky ‘fraud’ and just not good enough Jones in this upcoming event will get $500 cash from me that night.”
Ryan’s last match was against Nicky Rodriguez at the previous UFC Fight Pass Invitational event, where Rodriguez suffered a foot injury. Despite the injury, Ryan managed to continue the match and secure a victory.
Interestingly, Craig Jones will headline the event against Felipe Peña. If Jones were to lose, it would be amusing for Ryan to have to send money to another BJJ rival with whom he has had significant beef for a much longer time.
The bounty offered by Ryan not only takes aim at former teammates he dislikes but also serves as a way to generate attention for himself. This tactic is reminiscent of the tweet-and-delete sprees by Conor McGregor and Jon Jones, where they try to steal the spotlight from active competitors during major UFC events. Ryan’s presence at the UFC Fight Pass Invitational 4 in Las Vegas also involves supporting his current teammates and providing cornering assistance.
Gordon Ryan has called out Dillon Danis for his claim of being a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) World Champion. While it is true that Danis achieved success at the brown belt level in 2014, winning titles at the IBJJF World Championships and the UAEJJF Abu Dhabi World Pro Championship, Ryan believes that Danis’ current claim is misleading.
Taking to Instagram, Ryan expressed his disagreement with Danis’ self-proclaimed accolades, stating, “The biggest farce in a bio the world has ever seen.” Ryan, known as “The King,” is widely recognized for his dominance in the BJJ world, holding titles such as five-time ADCC champion, IBJFF no-gi World Champion, and four-time Eddie Bravo Invitational champion.
Having remained unbeaten since his loss to Vinny Magalhaes in 2018, Ryan’s criticism of Danis’ claim stems from his own extensive achievements in the sport. However, Ryan’s recent health issues have temporarily sidelined him from competition, with his return date currently unknown. His last bout took place on December 15, 2022, when he defeated Nicky Rodriguez at the UFC Fight Pass Invitational 3 in Las Vegas.
While Ryan awaits his comeback, he has not held back in expressing his disagreement with Danis’ portrayal of his BJJ accomplishments. Whether the BJJ community agrees with Ryan’s assessment or not, it is clear that the rivalry between these two athletes continues to generate attention and discussion within the sport.
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