BJJ icon Gordon Ryan is currently sidelined by a serious health condition and announced his retirement due to a debilitating stomach condition tied to rare genetic mutations. He appeared in a recent video where he shared his thoughts on who he believes are the best grapplers currently competing inside the UFC octagon.
When the conversation turned to the elite wrestlers and grapplers making waves in mixed martial arts today, Ryan stated, “In MMA, Khamzat is definitely one.”
Ryan also pointed to MMA icon Khabib Nurmagomedov, though quickly noted one key complication: “Khabib is retired.”
He also gave strong praise to Merab Dvalishvili. He said, “Merab is pretty impressive, just this constant pressure, you know, coming forward and just putting the pace on guys.”
Ryan acknowledged the pattern he sees among athletes coming out of Russia and the surrounding region, describing what he sees as a coordinated and highly effective approach.
“All the Russian guys are just ki lling everyone,” he said. “They’re using a very specific wall wrestling system.”
He pointed to Chimaev as a prime example of that style in action. “Khamzat just comes out, uses double leg in the first 10 seconds and no one defends it. Pushes them to the cage. So what they’re doing is impressive for sure.”
Ryan also briefly considered Jon Jones for the list before pausing to account for his current status. “Is Jon Jones retired? I guess Jon Jones is retired,” he said, suggesting that had Jones remained active, he would have factored into the conversation.
Ryan worked directly with Jones in 2023, helping prepare him for his heavyweight title defense at UFC 295.
Back then, Jones famously credited the session on social media, writing that Ryan had “served me up a large hot piece of humble pie.”
Additionally, Gordon Ryan revealed recently that genetic testing identified multiple rare mutations, including one copy of an extremely rare Cystic Fibrosis mutation along with a cluster of high-risk IBD and Crohn’s mutations, which have made consistent training nearly impossible.
“I have not been able to train or lift hard since January of 2024, as I just begin dry heaving immediately when I do,” Ryan shared in a recent Instagram post.
