Renowned coach John Danaher has undergone his second hip replacement surgery, potentially altering the trajectory of his legendary coaching career.
Danaher confirmed the procedure on social media, stating: “Today I went into surgery for my second hip replacement. I’ve had severe physical issues my whole career due to a crippled leg suffered from an early age.”
The surgery comes as no surprise to those who have followed Danaher’s recent health developments. In a previous interview with FloGrappling, he had disclosed plans for the procedure, explaining that it would be followed by a knee replacement as well.
“After the hip replacement I also have to do a knee replacement,” Danaher had said. “That would mean that I have three implants in my body which is usually, they recommend you don’t really do hard physical work after that.”
Medical professionals have expressed pessimism about Danaher’s ability to continue his active role in jiu-jitsu following these procedures, though the coach remains cautiously optimistic. He noted that he was able to return to the mats after his first hip replacement seven years ago.
Danaher explained the necessity of the surgery in his social media post, writing: “I’ve been holding off on this second surgery for around four years. I was going to do after we left Puerto Rico but when the team broke up I had to delay it in order to be able to build a new team. Now it’s time as I’m struggling to even walk and perform basic functions, let alone Jiu jitsu.”
This medical situation coincides with other significant changes at New Wave Jiu-Jitsu. According to Danaher, his star pupil Gordon Ryan, widely regarded as the greatest no-gi grappler of all time, is likely retiring from competition and transitioning to coaching.
“Gordon is very sick at this point so I don’t believe he’ll be competing again,” Danaher stated while discussing his team’s lineup for upcoming competitions.
Another key team member, Nicholas Meregali, is currently sidelined following a second shoulder surgery that was “not as successful as people were hoping for.”
Despite these challenges, Danaher expressed confidence in his younger athletes like Helena Crevar and Luke Griffith, both silver medalists at ADCC at young ages, who will be competing at upcoming events.
Danaher begins his recovery process, he remains optimistic about his continued contribution to the sport. “I will be out of action for a while but I believe I can still be a help conceptually until I can get active again,” he stated.
This period marks a significant transition for one of jiu-jitsu’s most influential figures and his team, as they navigate these health challenges while continuing to shape the future of the sport.
