Gordon Ryan, widely regarded as one of the greatest Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners of all time, has expressed his desire to see Jiu-Jitsu gain more respect as a legitimate style and to witness more top-level Jiu-Jitsu athletes transition into mixed martial arts.
In a recent training session with strongman Martins Licis, Ryan shared insights into his journey and aspirations for the sport. He revealed that his passion for Jiu-Jitsu was ignited at a young age, partly due to watching early UFC events featuring Royce Gracie. Ryan began formal training at 15, relatively late compared to many Brazilian counterparts who start as young as four.
Despite his later start, Ryan quickly rose to prominence in the Jiu-Jitsu world. He attributes much of his success to his coach, John Danaher, and his own dedication to both physical and mental aspects of the sport. Ryan emphasized the importance of analytical thinking, constantly evaluating his own weaknesses and working to eliminate them.
“I always wanted to be considered the greatest no-gi grappler of all time, which I’ve accomplished. But beyond that, I wanted to change the sport with an overarching goal of making an impact both on and off the mats.”
“My focus has been to restore respect for jiu-jitsu as a legitimate fighting style. Right now, we don’t have many athletes transitioning from pure jiu-jitsu into MMA, so pushing the sport forward on a technical level is important to me. ”
“I want to see more dangerous and mechanically sound submission artists. Growing the sport and turning it into a mainstream sport where athletes get paid to do what they love is crucial. ”
Ryan’s goals extend beyond personal achievement. He aims to elevate Jiu-Jitsu’s status in the combat sports world and increase its visibility as a standalone martial art. The grappling champion expressed concern over the declining number of pure Jiu-Jitsu practitioners transitioning to MMA, a trend he hopes to reverse.
Furthermore, Ryan is committed to the sport’s growth and professionalization. He takes pride in the progress made in recent years, with top competitors now able to secure significant paydays and make a living from Jiu-Jitsu competitions alone. This marks a significant shift from the past when practitioners often had to pivot to MMA or open schools to sustain themselves financially.
