Gordon Ryan has officially stepped away from BJJ competition, confirming that he is retiring from competing for the foreseeable future.
While the announcement surprised many fans, it follows several years of serious health issues that have repeatedly interrupted the career of one of grappling’s most dominant athletes.
Earlier in his career, Ryan was known for an unusually heavy competition schedule.
He competed across multiple weight classes at EBI, entered numerous tournaments around the United States, and regularly took superfights.
At ADCC, he entered as many divisions as possible in pursuit of titles and records.
That pace began to change around 2020.
Ryan started suffering persistent stomach problems that limited both his training and his ability to accept matches.
His appearances dropped to only a few superfights and even a small local event, a sharp contrast to his previous activity level.
Although he still delivered one of the most memorable performances of his career at ADCC 2022, he rarely competed afterward.
The combination of chronic illness and recurring injuries kept him off the mat for long stretches, and he fought only a handful of times between ADCC 2022 and ADCC 2024.
Retirement speculation intensified when Ryan opted to compete in two ADCC 2024 superfights in an effort to surpass Andre Galvao’s record number of titles without waiting another two-year cycle.
He won both matches on points, but the rumors persisted – especially after he publicly stated he would not defend the superfight title at ADCC 2026.
Nearly a year and a half has passed since that event without Ryan booking another match, and he has now confirmed the decision.
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