Gordon Ryan has revealed, in a recent interview with Combate, that he was offered a 7-figure amount to transition to MMA…
And, furthermore, that he’d considered to make that transition all the way back in 2019!
However, fate had different plans, as he suffered a knee ligament injury:
Upon recovering from surgery, I found myself thrust directly into an intensive training camp for the ADCC, with only seven months of recuperation.
So, right after the surgery, I had no choice but to dive into training.Initially, I had ambitions to kickstart my MMA career in early 2019, but the ADCC beckoned, and I ended up clinching two gold medals.
This success pulled me deeper into the world of jiu-jitsu.I secured the absolute title and engaged in the most monumental superfight in history against Andre Galvao.
Presently, I’m tasked with defending my superfight title, and my teammates are still striving to secure the absolute championship.All of this, while I’m now 28 years old.
Ryan also revealed that John Danaher‘s opinion had greatly influenced his decision to stick to Jiu-Jitsu:
John’s judgment is seldom misguided, and he conveyed to me: “You’re already the unparalleled no-gi champion in history, earning handsomely, with a profound legacy in this discipline, and you’re far from reaching your peak. Your path should be to establish an indisputable legacy that endures for generations, where even half a century after you’ve passed, no one comes close to your record.
He then revealed that he was offered a lot of money to transition to mixed martial arts:
Certainly, I’ve been presented with seven-figure offers to delve into MMA.
While there’s a part of me that desires to test my abilities, I don’t embark on major life decisions driven by emotions.
My decisions are rooted in realism and logic. And logically, transitioning to MMA doesn’t align with my goals.
He concluded:
I believe that, firstly, jiu-jitsu is on the brink of entering the mainstream sports arena. With one or two more ADCC events, the athletes will start to gain the recognition they deserve.
If I were to leave no-gi for MMA, I fear it might regress unless a colossal star emerges and dominates everyone.
However, I see myself elevating this sport’s professionalism to the next level now.I hold a profound love for jiu-jitsu and aspire to witness the next generation of athletes flourish financially.
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