“Uh, you know, PEDs, one way or the other—if, you know, a tournament wants to have them, great; if they don’t want to have them, great. Now, I think, obviously, the matches will be better. I think the athletes will be better athletes. The athletes will definitely be able to get paid more because the better you perform, the better you look. These are all things that will lead to you being paid more as an athlete. Um, you know, people want to see the world’s best athletes.,” Ryan stated, addressing the controversial topic head-on.
Ryan argued that PEDs enable athletes to perform better, recover faster, and extend their competitive careers, ultimately providing fans with higher-quality entertainment. He criticized the lack of a unified governing body in grappling, highlighting how varied PED policies create an uneven playing field. The disparity has discouraged top competitors from participating in certain tournaments, especially after IBJJF’s stricter testing protocols.
“PED testing is a multi-million dollar organization, but the money that goes into beating ster*id tests is a multi-billion dollar organization,” Ryan explained.
He further discussed cultural stigmas surrounding PEDs, contrasting American attitudes with those in countries like Brazil, where many substances are accessible over the counter.
 “So if I go out there and I’m 30 lbs overweight and look like a slob, where I’m not jacked—you know, me and Andre both went out and competed at ADCC, and we were both shredded. We looked like real athletes, and that’s what people want to see.”
“The main issue right now with taking performance enhancers out of Jiu-Jitsu is that there’s not one governing body in Jiu-Jitsu. So you or I can start a tournament tomorrow, and one of us can have PEDs legal, and one of us can have PEDs illegal. The problem is that if one organization makes it so that PEDs are illegal, but all the other organizations you’re competing at throughout the rest of the year say they’re legal, now I have to be clean throughout the year to compete at your one organization, but the rest of the guys…”
The Challenge of Creating Stars in BJJ
Ryan has also been vocal about the difficulties of cultivating star athletes in professional jiu-jitsu. He highlighted two major challenges: athletes’ inability to maintain consistent wins and the need for charisma both on and off the mat.
“We need more star athletes, and the problem with creating a star athlete is can they keep winning, and if they can keep winning, are they exciting?”
Ryan underscored the progress grappling has made, with major events now attracting significant audiences and offering six-figure paydays. However, he emphasized that sustained excellence and compelling personalities are essential for long-term star power.
PED Testing in Combat Sports: A Billion-Dollar Cat and Mouse Game
Ryan’s critique extended to the broader combat sports ecosystem, where he highlighted the financial disparity between PED testing programs and methods used to bypass them.
“The money that goes into beating ster*id tests is a multi-billion dollar organization.”
Ryan pointed to the uneven playing field this creates, where only well-funded athletes can afford to exploit loopholes. He also described PED testing in leagues like the NFL as largely ineffective, labeling it as “just for show.”
Gordon Ryan Takes Aim at Kron Gracie’s Traditional Jiu-Jitsu Approach in MMA
Critiquing Kron Gracie’s performance in MMA, Ryan contrasted it with the success of fighters like Khabib Nurmagomedov, who have adapted traditional jiu-jitsu into a hybrid “submission wrestling” style.
“If you look at Khabib, he used pretty much only jiu-jitsu, but he just kind of transcended wrestling and transcended jiu-jitsu where it was like more of a submission wrestling game,” Ryan explained.
“Traditional old school jiu-jitsu just isn’t enough to translate into mixed martial arts.”
Ryan praised Khabib and others, like Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev, for their ability to adapt grappling techniques for MMA, emphasizing strategies like controlling opponents against the fence and making them carry body weight.
Gordon Ryan Plans to Step Back from 2026 ADCC, Prioritizing Health
Ryan revealed that he might skip the 2026 ADCC World Championships to focus on his health, citing multiple injuries and ongoing stomach issues as major concerns.
“The next one we’ll see how it plays out. Number one, the main thing is my health.”
He also expressed reservations about competing in the post-Mo Jassim era, suggesting that his future participation hinges on health improvements and clear incentives.
