The grappling world was left stunned after Ruslan Abdulaev pulled off one of the most surprising upsets in recent memory, defeating two-time ADCC champion Kaynan Duarte by judges’ decision at the AIGA Global Champions League semifinals. But the real fireworks began after the match, when Gordon Ryan unleashed a scathing attack on his longtime rival through social media.
The heavyweight bout between the Dagestani wrestler and Brazilian submission specialist lived up to expectations as a classic clash of styles. Duarte showcased his technical brilliance early, repeatedly sweeping the much larger Abdulaev with his signature butterfly guard work. Commentary noted the rarity of seeing anyone control Abdulaev from the bottom position in such dominant fashion.
However, Abdulaev‘s defensive prowess and conditioning began to tell as the match progressed. The Universal Fighters representative weathered multiple submission attempts while gradually imposing his wrestling-based pressure game. The decisive moment came in the final round when Abdulaev secured a dangerous armbar attempt that had Duarte in serious trouble before the Brazilian managed to escape.
When the final bell sounded, it was Abdulaev who had his hand raised, completing a massive upset that sent shockwaves through the grappling community and advanced Universal Fighters in the team competition.
Gordon Ryan initially posted about ADCC 2026:
“Showing up for ADCC 2026 is a complete waste of my time 😭. Have fun, everyone.”
Duarte fired back:
“Good excuse stay home.”
The exchange quickly escalated. When another user suggested Ryan would dominate Duarte, the Brazilian replied:
“you don’t show up every time the same”
That triggered Ryan‘s response:
“My man said ‘you don’t show up every time the same’ 😰😂 Speak for yourself, bro. I have 55 wins and 0 losses since I beat your ass (in competition). And before you all complain, I won 2 pan golds, 2 world golds, and 6 adccs in that time frame. The difference is that when I show up at my worst, I dominate.”
He kept going:
“you sure dont stay up the same everyone time. Speak for yourself. I haven’t lost since I last beat your ass, 7 years and 6 adcc golds ago. You got just r*ped by an unknown obese man.”
The exchange drew more commentary. One critic wrote:
“picking opponents like you’re shopping for fruit. only the overripe (or rotten) ones.”
Ryan dismissed the jab, pointing to his four ADCC wins in recent years.
He also shared footage from Duarte‘s loss with the caption:
“Uses all my moves—still sucks.”
The public spat highlights the ongoing tensions between two of the sport’s biggest personalities, with Ryan clearly viewing Duarte‘s upset loss as vindication of his long-held criticisms. For Duarte, the defeat is a serious setback in what was expected to be a dominant AIGA run.
The loss also raises questions about the current hierarchy in heavyweight no-gi grappling. Abdulaev‘s win now positions him as a legitimate threat to the sport’s established elite. Meanwhile, the Ryan–Duarte rivalry shows no signs of cooling off.
