Gordon Ryan Blasts Parasitic Nature of Frequent Team Changes in another jibe at Musumeci

Claudio Martin

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu superstar Gordon Ryan has taken to Instagram once again to critique a recurring issue in the sport: frequent team changes. Labeling those who hop between teams as “leeches” and “parasites,” Ryan outlined what he considers acceptable and unacceptable reasons for athletes to switch teams.

“If you’re a hobbyist and your gym is 15 minutes away and your job changed and you get relocated to a different city… I don’t really necessarily have a problem with that,” Ryan shared, showing understanding for hobbyists facing practical issues like job relocations or significant commute changes.

Acceptable Reasons for Switching Teams

Ryan identified three legitimate reasons for competitors to change teams:

  1. Seeking better technical instruction
  2. Instances of abuse, particularly for female practitioners
  3. Relocation due to unavoidable circumstances

“If you’re a competitor and you want to switch teams obviously because you want to get better information somewhere else… that’s free market,” he stated. “If you can’t do that adequately as a coach, then of course the athlete is going to change because they think they can get something better elsewhere.”

It’s interesting to see him outline that abuse is somehow more problematic for women than for men in light of recent happenings in Brazilian jiujitsu and charges raised against Alcenor Alves by a number of high level competitors he allegedly SA-ed.

Unacceptable Reasons and the “Parasitic” Behavior

Ryan didn’t hold back when discussing competitors who frequently switch teams to accumulate techniques and then use them against their former teams. He described this as parasitic behavior, adding:

“You’re just reaching off with everybody where you’re taking all the information and then you’re leaving… and not only are you taking all the information and leaving like a leech, like a parasite, what you’re doing now is you’re there on five different teams.”

The most egregious offense, in Ryan’s view, is when athletes betray their former teams by using the knowledge gained to defeat teammates they once trained alongside.

“Now the guy that you just spent all this time teaching is going to leave to a different team and he’s going to use the things that you taught him as a coach against your students to beat your students after he spit in your face,” he explained.

Of course, Ryan is far from an unbiased observer considering his own team went through a traumatic split credited to how his own brother was treated.

Personal Loyalty and Coaching Dedication

Ryan highlighted his own loyalty as a counterexample, citing his 14-year commitment to the Renzo Gracie/Ricardo Almeida lineage, including coaches like Miguel Benitez, Tom DeBlass, Gary Tonon, and John Danaher. He particularly praised Danaher’s dedication:

“John has never taken any money from me. I’ve never paid John a dime for private lessons, I’ve never paid John a dime out of my purses, out of my sponsorships, nothing.”

Ryan concluded by acknowledging the sacrifices coaches make, often without financial gain, to help athletes achieve greatness.

“Most gyms aren’t obsessed with having the absolute best guys in the world represent their gym, and most competitors don’t even pay,” he noted.

Ryan’s message is a strong critique of the modern grappling world, calling for a return to loyalty and respect within the sport while challenging athletes to reflect on the ethical implications of their choices.This whole rant was prompted by Ryan getting the following comment in his attack on Musumeci:

This was in response to what Ryan said about Musumeci:

Musumeci’s jiu-jitsu journey is marked by his time with several prominent teams and coaches. He began training at Fatijo’s Martial Arts Academy under Fernando “Cabeça” before moving to Florida, where he joined Marcelo Ribeiro’s gym briefly. He then trained at American Top Team (ATT) with coach Emyr “Shark” Bussade, earning his green and blue belts. Later, he moved to WMB Miami under Javill Byron, who awarded him his purple belt. After returning to Boca Raton, he reconnected with ATT, training under Bussade and Jonatas Gurgel at ATT Aventura, while also teaching at Jaco Training Center alongside his sister, Tammi Musumeci, and training with Gilbert Burns. Throughout this period, Musumeci maintained a close relationship with the Mendes Brothers at the Art of Jiu-Jitsu Academy, where Guilherme Mendes awarded him his brown belt. He further developed his skills at AJ Sousa’s gym before receiving his black belt in a joint effort from Jonatas Gurgel and Gilbert Burns at the age of 18.

Musumeci and Ryan have been in war of words surrounding PED use. Musumeci has been adamant that for jiu-jitsu to reach the next level it has to clean up it’s act. Meanwhile Gordon Ryan is firmly in the opposite corner. He claims people want to see the enhanced athletes give their best.

 

“Uh, you know, PEDs, one way or the other—if, you know, a tournament wants to have them, great; if they don’t want to have them, great. Now, I think, obviously, the matches will be better. I think the athletes will be better athletes. The athletes will definitely be able to get paid more because the better you perform, the better you look. These are all things that will lead to you being paid more as an athlete. Um, you know, people want to see the world’s best athletes.,” Ryan stated, addressing the controversial topic head-on.

Claudio Martin