Before training under Danaher, Ryan described himself as primarily an athletic competitor who relied on grit and mental toughness to win matches.
“I was just like a gritty Jersey kid that wouldn’t stop,”
Ryan recalled, noting that while he had natural abilities like scrambling to take the back, he lacked refined technical systems.
The partnership with Danaher revolutionized Ryan’s understanding of the sport.
“John completely changed the way that I thought about the sport of Jiu-Jitsu,”
Ryan explained, highlighting how this new approach perfectly complemented his existing problem-solving abilities and exceptional memory retention.
Ryan’s capacity to retain technical details proved particularly valuable in his development.
“John could have taught me a move like five years ago one time and I drilled it like for a few minutes and I’ll remember that move even if I haven’t used it,”
he shared.
While Ryan has since developed his own innovative techniques, he credits Danaher as the foundation for his current success.
“Even when I invent moves now… it all stems back to him because he’s the one who taught me how to think about Jiu-Jitsu in this way,”
Ryan acknowledged, emphasizing Danaher’s role as
“the main piece of the puzzle”
in his career.
