In a candid discussion about PEDs in competitive jiu-jitsu, Gordon Ryan made a striking declaration about his perspective on life and legacy:
“I would rather die with a legacy at 50 years old than just be a normal guy dying at 70 or 80 years old.”
The controversial statement came during a lengthy address where Ryan openly discussed his use of PEDs in professional competition, defending his choices while acknowledging the complex landscape of performance enhancement in combat sports.
Ryan emphasized that his priority is creating a lasting impact in the sport, even if it potentially comes at the cost of longevity. He referenced Arnold Schwarzenegger as an example of someone who used performance enhancers extensively yet remains healthy at 80, challenging common assumptions about the life-shortening effects of PED use.
Gordon Ryan Claims He Started in 2016
Gordon Ryan revealed he first began using PEDs in 2016 when he was looking to move up from the 77kg weight class.
Ryan explained that his initial decision was influenced by two key factors: PEDs were legal in Jiu-Jitsu at the time (IBJJF did USADA testing as far back as 2014) , and he wanted to move up in weight to avoid competing against his then-coach Gary Tonon. At the time, Ryan was walking around at 185-190 pounds but needed to reach the 88kg (194 pounds) category.
The grappling star emphasized that his success preceded his PED use, noting that he had already submitted ADCC champions and medalists while competing naturally. “I was submitting ADCC champions and medalists way before I was ever on ste*oids while I was natural while these guys were juiced up,” Ryan stated in his own video.
Ryan trained with Garry Tonon and John Danaher, another mentor of Tonon, at the Renzo Gracie Academy in New York.
Ryan got his purple belt in 2014.
Ryan’s success in submission-only jiu-jitsu was first noticed through his association with John Danaher’s methodology.
Ryan’s break out performance was his EBI absolutes win. Relatively unknown, Ryan made it to the finals where he defeated ADCC medalist Yuri Simoes.
Gordon Ryan received his black belt in February 2016 from Garry Tonon, with the presence of Tom deBlass, Ricardo Almeida, and John Danaher.
Ryan also addressed common misconceptions about his well-documented stomach issues, firmly denying any connection to PED use. He attributed his digestive problems to extensive antibiotic use in 2018 following recurring staph infections, which he says “completely wiped out my gut biome.”
He argued that athletes will use performance enhancers regardless of testing, particularly at higher levels of competition where resources to beat tests are more readily available.
Ryan maintained that while he believes he could have become the best in the world without PEDs, he chose to use them to “become the best athlete that I could be.” He described the decision as part of his commitment to winning at all costs within the legal framework of the sport.
However, Ryan wasn’t always so outspoken. Recently, a clip resurfaced online where he claimed that his team was the only relatively “clean” team.
A younger-looking Ryan expressed:
“People accusing me of being on ste*ids doesn’t bother me for a few reasons. First, most of the people talking will never compete at the highest levels of anything. And, you know, I’ve accomplished more than most people who talk s**t, so it doesn’t really matter to me. I mean, I browse the internet just for personal pleasure.”
“You know, I enjoy doing it, but at the highest levels, most people, for the most part, are on something. Our team is pretty much the only group that I think doesn’t use ster0ids to a certain extent.”
Gordon Ryan Criticizes IBJJF for Testing
Gordon Ryan has spoken out against the International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation’s (IBJJF) decision to implement PED testing, highlighting the inconsistency across major competition organizers in the sport.
Ryan argues that the IBJJF’s isolated stance on testing, while other major organizations continue to permit (technically they just don’t test), has actually harmed the quality of their prestigious events.
“The level of athletes at Worlds and NOGI Worlds since they started testing has drastically diminished,” Ryan stated, noting that top competitors have either abandoned these events or faced suspensions.
The multiple-time ADCC champion advocates for a unified approach across all organizations, suggesting that the current fragmented system creates an uneven playing field.
Ryan also raises practical concerns about the financial feasibility of comprehensive testing in jiu-jitsu. He questions who would bear the costs of year-round random testing, particularly for lower-tier athletes who don’t generate sufficient revenue to justify such expenses.
He suggests that rather than partial bans, the sport would benefit from either universal testing across all organizations or continued acceptance of PED use, arguing that the current mixed approach creates more problems than it solves.
Gordon Ryan Criticizes “Natural” Athletes’ Moral Stance on PEDs
Grappling superstar Gordon Ryan has taken aim at athletes who claim moral superiority for competing without PEDs, calling into question the practicality and sincerity of their stance.
In a candid discussion about PED use in combat sports, Ryan argued that athletes who boast about competing naturally often use it as a convenient excuse. “Whenever someone wins who’s natural, it’s ‘oh well I won against this guy on ster*ids so I’m better,’ but then when they lose it’s the excuse of ‘well I lost to this guy because I was on ster*ids,'” Ryan explained.
The decorated grappler emphasized that history only remembers winners and losers, not the circumstances surrounding their performances. “When people look back in 10 years, they’re not going to remember that argument that you made that you were on ster*ids and you were natural. They’re going to remember this guy won and this guy lost,” Ryan stated.
Ryan is clearly taking aim here at Nick Rodriguez who happened to prove in a random test that he wasn’t on PEDs – but the test did unearth that Rodriguez had major cholesterol issues. Both Rodriguez and his brother Jay are outspoken opponents of using PEDs in BJJ.
