Gordon Ryan faced an unexpected challenge at the recent Who’s Number One event – his own body. In a revealing post-match interview, Ryan disclosed that he struggled with severe nausea during his warm-up, raising concerns about his readiness for the upcoming ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club) World Championship.
“I was doing my warm up and it was bad. I was just dry heaving the whole time,” Ryan admitted. This physical setback forced him to adjust his game plan on the fly, opting for a quick leg lock attempt instead of his usual methodical approach.
Despite feeling “terrible” throughout the match, Ryan’s technical superiority allowed him to secure victory and defend his title. However, the grappling phenom expressed frustration at having to focus on managing his nausea rather than executing his tactical game plan.
Ryan’s health struggles are not new. He revealed that he’s been dealing with stomach issues for the past six years, which have significantly impacted his training and competition. “I’ve been nauseous in pretty much every competition I’ve been competing in since my stomach started acting up six years ago,” he said. “But I’ve never been dry heaving during a warm-up.”
The timing of these health issues couldn’t be worse, with the prestigious ADCC World Championship on the horizon. Ryan emphasized the importance of a proper 12-week training camp to prepare for the event, something he hasn’t been able to do due to his health issues. “I’m basically jumping right into a camp off of just getting out of bed,” he explained, referring to a five-month period earlier this year when he was bedridden due to his stomach problems.
Despite these setbacks, Ryan remains confident in his abilities, stating, “If I can just show up healthy, there’s nobody in the world that could beat me.” However, he acknowledges the need to improve his overall health and preparation, considering it “unprofessional” to compete without a proper training camp.
Looking ahead, Ryan is contemplating taking another match, possibly in July, to test his health and readiness for ADCC. He sees this as a crucial step in his preparation, aiming to “work on not almost throwing up the whole time I’m warming up.”
The pressure is on. With the rivalry between ADCC and CJI, Gordon Ryan is getting pushed to also do a division besides a superfight against Simoes. Last we heard, Ryan was targeting two superfights – with Simoes and Felipe Pena however there are conflicting reports as to the second superfight.
