The elite jiu-jitsu community has been rocked by the abrupt announcement that Izaak Michell is no longer training at or affiliated with Kingsway Jiu-Jitsu, the academy run by Gordon Ryan and John Danaher. The news comes alongside serious allegations that have prompted what appears to be an active investigation.
Gordon Ryan posted a carefully worded statement on social media declaring that:
“Izaak Michell is no longer training at or affiliated in any way with our gym. We have been advised that no further details should be made public at this time.”
In a follow up comment, Ryan added:
“We have also been asked to turn off comments so that rumors are not spread.”
The vague nature of the announcement immediately sparked speculation, particularly given the legal undertones of the statement. However, Craig Jones provided additional context through his Instagram stories, posting a resource link to ATXBelieves.org, an Austin based organization that provides support for individuals following unwanted encounters of an intimate nature. The post included the message:
“After an unwanted encounter, you have options. We believe you. You are NOT alone.”
Jones also shared an article about Michell with overlaid text stating:
“This man is in Phuket”
and
“If you know where he is send me his location”
followed by a warning:
“DO NOT LET HIM NEAR WOMEN.”
The Australian bjj athlete, who recently secured victory at the ADCC Asia trials in the 170 lbs (77kg) division in Bangkok, has faced professional setbacks before. This marks the second time Michell has been removed from a major training facility, having previously been dismissed from B Team for separate reasons.
The current situation represents a dramatic turn for someone who had been training alongside high level wrestlers at Penn State, including UFC’s Bo Nickal and Jason Nolf, who also trains at Kingsway where Michell had been representing.
The exclusion from Kingsway comes months after another professional complication for Michell. Craig Jones had already banned the Australian from competing at Craig Jones Invitational 2, though that situation stemmed from contractual disagreements. When questioned about the ban on Reddit three months before the tournament, Jones explained:
“Izaak threatened to sue me over his visa I sponsored. I gave him time to find a new sponsor. I will never sign a contract with him again for any entity I own. It ain’t that deep.”
This sparks the question about Michell’s current visa status.
Michell had then addressed that earlier situation publicly, stating:
“For all those asking why I didn’t compete on cji. Danaher and Gordon invited me to compete on Team Kingsway. (I wasn’t invited to be on Team Australia) but I was blocked from competing in these cji events.”
He added at the time that he believed he would:
“be competing soon representing @kingsway_hq and Australian Jiu jitsu.”
However, the current circumstances appear far more serious than previous professional disputes. The language used by Ryan and Danaher, particularly the references to being advised on what can be disclosed and requests to prevent speculation, suggests involvement from authorities or legal counsel.
The jiu-jitsu community now awaits further clarification on a situation that has cast a shadow over one of the sport’s rising competitors. For now, Ryan, Danaher and Jones have made their positions clear. Michell is no longer welcome in their training environments.
