Gordon Ryan has been the talk of the town amongst Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu enthusiasts for many years. The multi-time ADCC world champion regularly tops headlines and is often regarded as “The King of BJJ”. But will we ever see Ryan transition his skills into the world of mixed martial arts?
During a media scrum at UFC 282, ‘The King’ discussed his potential of moving over to MMA, and he highlighted how he’d only consider stepping into the cage if one of his teammates can dominate the ADCCs as he does.
The 27-year-old no-Gi elitist added that a move to MMA isn’t likely while his coach [John Danaher] advised him to focus on grappling:
“Yeah, maybe if one of my teammates wins an ADCC absolute, I can just kind of give it to them,” Ryan said. “But to be honest… our coach John has never been wrong on much, and he seems to think that I should stick with grappling, so it’s hard to argue with John, man… Right now, I’m going to stick with grappling, and maybe if one of our guys wins the absolute and starts dominating people as I do, I’ll jump [to MMA].”
Having trained at MMA-related gyms such as Renzo Gracie in New York City, Ryan would have no trouble finding a suitable coach to assist his move into MMA. But as the BJJ legend has highlighted, he doesn’t need to exit from the grappling world until one of his teammates can take his place.
MMA enthusiasts would love to see Ryan in the UFC, Bellator, or PFL. He’d likely become a heavy betting favorite during his initial lower-ranked bouts.
Aged just 27 years old, there’s a lot of time remaining for him to switch and become an MMA betting favorite. But right now, he’s regarded as one of the best no-Gi grapplers and is sitting on top of the sport; a move to MMA wouldn’t make much sense. Behind a grappling record that boasts 97 wins and just five losses, he continues to push the BJJ hype and solidify his status as one of the greatest of all time.
Coach John Danaher explains why Ryan should avoid MMA
(source:https://twitter.com/georgesstpierre/status/920735299982036993)
Ryan explained how his coach, John Danaher, has advised him to stick with grappling, and during a media session back in 2020, he explained why.
“I’m doing my best to talk Gordon Ryan out of doing MMA… My belief [is] that grappling is at a pivotal point in its history.” Danaher explained. “There is a chance that submission grappling could expand remarkably over the next ten years. For that to happen, the sport needs superstars; individuals start revolutions. If Gordon went to MMA, I feel that could be lost.”
Close, but not close enough
Fans will continue to dream of potential MMA bouts Ryan could be involved with while wondering how the five-time ADCC champion would fare in an MMA octagon. But with a five-year undefeated streak and stardom from grappling, his BJJ earnings are now significant enough that he doesn’t have to seek a more substantial income elsewhere.
“I was going to start MMA in 2019,” Ryan told Ariel Helwani during an interview on the MMA Hour. “I was getting ready. I was sparring; I was preparing to fight. I went to a Bellator event, and I was talking to some guys from Bellator. I was talking to ONE about fighting MMA, and then in 2019, I tore my LCL. I had to have surgery, and upon my return, MMA was no longer the focus.
“So, seven months after surgery, I had to compete in ADCC, so that was the focus. I won the Absolute and began looking forward to my BJJ career ahead. I kept getting roped back into BJJ like, ‘Oh, there’s something more I have to do in jiu-jitsu before I leave.’ Now I’m at a point where I don’t have to leave. I make more money than most UFC champions, and there’s no reason for me to get punched in the head every day and then have to fight.”
