Nicky and Gordon Ryan – brothers and among the most elite of submission grapplers today – don’t see each other much ever since the Danaher Death Squad split.

And, even though the reason behind the rift has still not been made public, the Ryan brothers used to be close.

Nicky shared how it was growing up with Gordon, in a recent “The Simple Man Podcast” episode:

We were pretty close growing up. Like, I would hang out with him and his friends and stuff…

But yeah, he just got super into Jiu-Jitsu at 16 (years old). He would be doing 3-4 classes per day.
Yeah, we were close growing up.

Nicky was around 10 years old when Gordon started training, but it was three years later – when he turned 13 years old – that he joined his older brother on the mats.

Nicky Ryan shared his thoughts n a recent episode of the Lex Fridman Podcaston what it takes to defeat the legendary Gordon Ryan in a match. The conversation was both enlightening and entertaining, shedding light on techniques, mental strategies, and personal anecdotes.

Buggy Choke: An Embarrassing but Effective Move

Nicky Ryan humorously suggested that the “buggy choke” could be a potential way to defeat Gordon Ryan. He described it as an “embarrassing submission to get caught with,” typically executed from a non-dominant position, such as the bottom of side control. Despite its reputation, Ryan emphasized its effectiveness: “Once you’re locked in there, there’s not too many defenses for a buggy choke.”

He acknowledged that while it might seem like a joke, the buggy choke is a legitimate move: “It’s a way to frustrate the opponent for sure. Even if you don’t get it, the threat of embarrassment makes people pull out very quickly to avoid suffering the consequences.”

The Mental Game: Persistence and Provocation

Discussing Gordon Ryan’s mentality, Nicky Ryan shared anecdotes from training sessions where Gordon displayed an extraordinary threshold for pain and discomfort. “Gordon is somebody who really won’t even tap in the practice room,” Ryan noted. This resilience is both a strength and a potential vulnerability, as it demonstrates Gordon’s willingness to endure significant damage to secure a victory.

Craig Jones, another guest on the podcast, highlighted the importance of the mental game in defeating Gordon Ryan. He suggested that gently provoking Gordon could be an effective strategy: “If I can just gently provoke and get a strong reaction, that’s hilarious. Aussies, we will just attack each other, and the first person that gets upset kind of loses the exchange.”

Strategy and Technique: Chokes Over Joint Locks

Nicky Ryan emphasized that to truly defeat Gordon Ryan, one would need to focus on chokes rather than joint locks. “Any joint lock or anything like that, he’s just gonna let it break and stay in the match,” Ryan explained. Instead, he believes that putting Gordon to sleep with a choke would be necessary to secure a victory.

Jones added that after defeating Gordon, the mental game wouldn’t stop there: “If I were to beat him, I would send him a message every day until I died, just to gently remind him that I got the last one.”

The conversation on the Lex Fridman Podcast provided valuable insights into the complexities of defeating one of the greatest Jiu-Jitsu practitioners, Gordon Ryan. From the technical application of unconventional moves like the buggy choke to the importance of mental resilience and strategic provocation, Nicky Ryan and Craig Jones offered a fascinating glimpse into the mindsets and methods that might just tip the scales in a high-stakes Jiu-Jitsu match.