UFC legend Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson believes that submission grappling phenom Gordon Ryan has what it takes to excel in mixed martial arts.
In a recent video breakdown, Mighty Mouse analyzed one of Gordon Ryan’s matches and came away thoroughly impressed with the grappler’s skills and approach.
Ryan, considered by many to be the best no-gi grappler in the world, recently announced he is taking a break from competition until the 2024 ADCC event. The decision comes after years of intense training and subsequent digestive issues that require rest.
According to Mighty Mouse, Ryan possesses the grappling pedigree and control that could lead to world championship success in MMA. He points specifically to Ryan’s systematic style and ability to relax in dominant positions as key assets.
“Gordon gets in his dominant position, and he just chills, he just relaxes. That’s something interesting. I’ve never seen that before,” Mighty Mouse said.
Additionally, Mighty Mouse was blown away by how Ryan baits opponents into certain positions where he can then capitalize. This was on full display in a match against Patrick Gatto, where Ryan apparently had a submission in mind from the start that he methodically set up throughout the bout.
While recognizing Ryan would need work on his striking, Mighty Mouse sees no reason why Ryan couldn’t leverage his grappling to become an elite MMA fighter. He even believes Ryan has the size and skills to compete at light heavyweight, where his ground game would shine.
“I think if Gordon Ryan wanted to fight, I think he could probably be a world champion. His ground game is so good that he’ll be fine,” said Mighty Mouse.
If Gordon Ryan ever does make the transition to MMA, he certainly has the endorsement of one of the greatest ever in Mighty Mouse. According to the legend himself, Ryan has what it takes to do big things in the cage.
