Gordon Ryan has found himself in the center of a controversy after aggressively promoting a business course alongside Derek “Moneyberg”. The partnership has sparked concern among fans who believe Ryan is being exploited or even worse knowingly misleading his own followers.
Ryan who boasts nearly a million Instagram followers has dedicated significant social media space to promoting Moneyberg’s course including joint posts and meetups with course purchasers. Critics argue this partnership is particularly troubling given Moneyberg’s reputation. Previously exposed for questionable black belt credentials and accused of running misleading courses across multiple industries Moneyberg has become a polarizing figure in the MMA world.
The timing of Ryan’s involvement has raised eyebrows. Speculation suggests the grappling phenom may be seeking additional income to cover legal expenses for his wife who reportedly faces serious charges. Whether accurate or not fans see the partnership as out of character for an athlete who has positioned himself as morally principled on social media.
What makes this collaboration concerning is Ryan’s willingness to lend his credibility to Moneyberg’s enterprise. In promotional videos Ryan sits alongside Moneyberg as the businessman makes grandiose claims about wealth creation and success including assertions about making “well over a hundred million dollars” through various ventures. The pair recorded a video titled “Derek Moneyberg Exposed” which critics note was promotional content rather than genuine criticism.
Observers have pointed out the irony of Ryan’s involvement given his vocal criticism of politicians who say “scam the public”. The disconnect between his stated values and his current actions has not gone unnoticed by his fanbase. Many feel betrayed by what they perceive as hypocrisy.
Craig Jones tuned in and delivered his own rhetoric on the business move.
The course itself which is set to launch with a “live web training” on Cyber Monday promises to teach structures for success and how to “earn better coaches” and “belong” in rooms with “higher value people”. Critics dismiss this as typical get rich quick style rhetoric designed to target vulnerable fans who admire Ryan’s legitimate competitive achievements.
Gordon has been losing followers for over a year.
Perhaps most concerning is Ryan’s isolation in this partnership. He remains one of the few mainstream martial arts figures still publicly associating with Moneyberg which suggests others in the community understand the reputational risks Ryan seems willing to ignore.
If you thought Gordon Ryan was an inept politician, his finance guru era might be even worse.
As one critic noted Ryan is “scamming his own fans” leveraging his credibility in jiu-jitsu to sell a product in a domain where neither he nor his partner have proven expertise.
