Gordon Ryan recently opened up about his health and latest diagnosis during an appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show. Known for his dominant performances on the mat, Ryan has been battling health issues that have impacted his training and competition.
Ryan revealed that he has been dealing with Mast Cell Activation Syndrome, a condition that has significantly affected his ability to train.
“Every time my heart rate would go up, I would immediately get super nauseous,”
he explained. This condition made it nearly impossible for him to complete full training sessions leading up to ADCC 2022, where he still managed to compete despite the challenges.
“I basically had a 10-day camp for that ADCC, and I was just dragging myself through it,”
he said.
In addition to his stomach issues, Ryan has also been managing injuries sustained during competition. He mentioned,
“My ankles got a little hurt at ADCC, and my knee got a little bit hurt at ADCC, but I’m not really too concerned about that. The main concern is just my stomach trying to get that back on track.”
He has an upcoming appointment with his specialist to address these ongoing issues.
Ryan also touched on his diet, which has been adjusted to accommodate his health condition.
“I try to stay away from fast foods or anything hard to digest. Spicy food sometimes gets me, so just clean food most of the time,”
he shared. Despite these restrictions, Ryan admitted to indulging in occasional treats like burgers and pizza.
The conversation shifted to his training and potential future matches, including a response to Dillon Danis, who recently challenged him to a grappling match. Ryan was characteristically blunt in his assessment of Danis, stating,
“Dillon doesn’t actually do anything to make money. He doesn’t compete, he doesn’t teach, and he doesn’t have sponsors. I don’t even know how he makes money.”
While Ryan has offered to compete against Danis multiple times, he remains skeptical of Danis’s willingness to follow through.
Ryan also discussed his potential involvement in future grappling events, particularly with UFC Fight Pass. He expressed optimism about the growing visibility of the sport, saying,
“I think the UFC is doing a good job of pushing Jiu-Jitsu mainstream. I’m here to help however I can, and when the school’s open and everything is set, I’ll hop back in and hopefully beat some people up.”
Despite his health struggles, Ryan remains focused on his priorities, including the opening of his new school in Austin.
“My main thing is just trying to get the school open. We’ve been working on it for years, and it’s been way too long,”
he said. Once the school is up and running, Ryan plans to return to competition later this year.
