Gordon Ryan Roasts Nicky Rod for WNO Win over Kaynan Duarte

John Davis

Gordon Ryan, widely regarded as the greatest no-gi grappler of all time, has taken to social media to mock Nick “Nicky Rod” Rodriguez following his recent WNO 27 victory over Kaynan Duarte.

The Instagram stories posted by Ryan show the BJJ king taking sharp jabs at Rodriguez’s accomplishment, particularly highlighting what he perceives as Rodriguez’s technical limitations and hypocrisy.

“Luke subs kaynan, Kaynan loses to some unranked Iranian dude, Kaynan wins double gold at adcc with 7 subs, Nicky fraud wins cji, Nicky fraud gets whooped and subbed by Victor hugo, Luke beats Victor hugo, Nicky fraud beats kaynan, All the best guys beat and lose to one another… Then there’s gordon ryan. He subs them all.”

“‘I’m gonna beat gordon’ – the guy who’s never practiced a mount escape in his life 😭😭.”

The rivalry between Ryan and Rodriguez has intensified since Rodriguez’s $1 million victory at the Craig Jones Invitational (CJI). After that win, Rodriguez challenged Ryan to a million-dollar match, which Ryan reportedly responded to with numerous conditions and stipulations.

Rodriguez has previously expressed frustration with Ryan’s “foggy” response to his challenge, comparing it to “a breakup text from my girlfriend.” Meanwhile, Ryan continues to flirt with permanent retirement having asserted his dominance over the entire heavyweight grappling scene, positioning himself as the ultimate submission specialist who “subs them all” while others trade wins and losses amongst themselves.

At WNO 27 in Round Rock, Texas, Nick “Nicky Rod” Rodriguez secured a decisive victory over ADCC double gold medalist Kaynan Duarte, while New Wave’s Luke Griffiths upset Victor Hugo in the co-main event.

Despite Duarte’s initial success with a single leg takedown that threatened Rodriguez’s back, the B-Team star weathered the early storm. Rodriguez eventually scrambled to his feet before landing a takedown of his own, quickly transitioning to mount – a position he would maintain for the majority of the match.

From this dominant position, Rodriguez was unable to secure a submission finish, his control was absolute as Duarte found no answers to Rodriguez’s relentless pressure. The judges awarded Rodriguez a well-earned decision victory.

“I’ve been working on my top game for years, and tonight it all came together,” Rodriguez said following his victory.

In the co-main event, Luke Griffiths of the New Wave team staged an impressive comeback against Victor Hugo. Despite Hugo controlling the early exchanges and securing back control for several minutes, Griffiths’ superior conditioning proved crucial as the match progressed.

The fresher Griffiths eventually scored a duck-under takedown, before working his way to mount and ultimately taking Hugo’s back. This reversal of fortune earned Griffiths a decision victory, adding Hugo’s name to an impressive resume that already includes a win over Kaynan Duarte.

The evening also showcased 18-year-old phenom Helena Crevar who was facing four-time IBJJF no-gi world champion Elisabeth Clay. Crevar avenged her 2022 ADCC trials loss with a counter to Clay’s foot lock attempt, taking the back and securing a rear-naked choke.

CJI standout Andrew Tackett lived up to his reputation for excitement, needing less than two minutes to catch Fabyury Khrysthyan with a heel hook.

The main card opened with a “legends” match featuring 44-year-old Xande Ribeiro, a nine-time IBJJF world champion and two-time ADCC world champion, against 10th Planet veteran Richie Martinez. After surviving an early heel hook attempt, Ribeiro found himself trailing on the open scoring system. This appeared to ignite the Brazilian legend, who increased his intensity, passed Martinez’s guard, and eventually secured his signature kimura from side control.

John Davis