In a sarcasm ladden ‘apology’, veteran Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu instructor Stephan Kesting has delivered a takedown of Gordon Ryan.
The video, filmed in front of what Kesting describes as “a statue of immigrants and refugees who should apologize for contributing or even existing,” presents itself as a heartfelt mea culpa while systematically dismantling Ryan‘s character through thinly veiled criticism wrapped in mock praise.
Kesting begins by acknowledging how frequently Ryan has “corrected” him across social media platforms, sarcastically praising the grappling champion as “an excellent debater, a master debater one might say.” The veteran instructor frames his own 23-year contribution to the sport as insignificant compared to Ryan‘s impact, stating that “anything good that I’ve done will be forgotten but the bad will live on.”
The most damaging portions of Kesting‘s “apology” come disguised as compliments about Ryan‘s character. He mockingly praises Ryan‘s business ventures, including “a stunningly beautiful series of NFTs to create generational wealth for his fans,” and references controversial incidents involving Ryan‘s commentary on athletes like Simone Biles and his treatment of personal relationships.
Kesting particularly targets Ryan‘s moral authority, sarcastically noting how “Gordon is very very careful who he associates with” and “vets them because he doesn’t want to be associated with anyone who isn’t lily white in character.” This appears to be a pointed reference to recent controversies surrounding some of Ryan‘s associations and statements.
The video concludes with Kesting reflecting on whether his past actions constituted genuine bravery or mere “virtue signaling,” as he suggests Ryan would characterize them. He admits his “courage is gone, chased away by bears and wolves,” perhaps alluding to the toll of online confrontations with Ryan and his supporters.
The BJJ community’s reaction to this satirical masterpiece will likely determine whether Kesting‘s gambit succeeds in elevating discourse or simply escalates an already contentious situation.
Ryan and Kesting have repeatedly had conflicts online but Kesting is far from prominent with his biggest achievement being one of the first to bring BJJ instructionals online years ago.
