Jiu-jitsu champion Gordon Ryan recently addressed accusations of racism that emerged during the Black Lives Matter protests in 2020. Speaking on Jake Shields’ podcast, Ryan explained the controversy stemmed from comments he made on social media.
Ryan said he was tagged in an online argument where someone claimed “people of color shouldn’t have to work as hard as white people.” He responded that success comes from hard work regardless of skin color, which led to backlash.
In April 2020, Ryan faced backlash after sharing a controversial parody trailer titled “Star Wars: Rogue WUHAN,” which portrayed Chinese people as hunters of alien meat, implying they had consumed all animal life on Earth. The video, a compilation of scenes from various Sci-Fi films featuring Chinese actors, was posted on his Instagram with the caption “Donald Trump sent me this,” but has since been deleted. More recently, Ryan criticized the Black Lives Matter protests on his Instagram, where he shared far-right views, supported Trump’s military deployment, promoted ANTIFA conspiracies, and denied the existence of systemic racism.
A rapper named Young Manny then called for Ryan to be “banned” from jiu-jitsu organizations and competitions. Ryan said he refused to apologize and instead engaged in a heated debate with Young Manny on Instagram Live.
“I just laid into it 100 times harder,” Ryan said. “I’m like, ‘I’ll say whatever the f*** I want.'”
Ryan defended himself against accusations of racism, arguing that he treats everyone equally. He criticized those labeling him racist, saying many are Democrats who “have historically been the most racist people.”
The jiu-jitsu star said attempts to get him banned from organizations like IBJJF and BJJ Fanatics were unsuccessful. He noted BJJ Fanatics dismissed the controversy, saying “We’re not here to be the morality police.”
Ryan maintained he did not say anything racist and was simply expressing his views on hard work and success. He framed the incident as an example of cancel culture gone too far during a sensitive time.
While controversial, the episode does not seem to have significantly impacted Ryan’s career or standing in the jiu-jitsu community. He remains one of the sport’s biggest stars and top competitors.
