Is Gordon Ryan in the UFC?
MMA brings together several facets of combat arts, with one being Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In the sport today, there is one name that stands out at the top of the podium, and that is Gordon Ryan.
The New Jersey competitor has carved out a place of prominence and dominance that is rarely seen in professional sports. He’s the best No Gi grappler in the game today and some will argue that he’s the best grappler in the world. There was a time when the industry wondered if he’d make the jump to MMA and specifically the UFC, but Ryan has avoided that phase, instead focusing on all things submission grappling.
Ryan earned his black belt in BJJ from another famed, but quirky grappler in his own right, Garry Tonon. He obtained that accolade in 2016 and has since put forth one of the best resumes in the industry. A short list of his major victories includes five gold medals at the ADCC World Championships. He also has a silver medal in the absolute division from 2017. In 2018 he won the IBJJF World No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Championship and the Pan No-Gi Jiu-Jitsu Championship that same year.
Ryan has picked up wins over any other top competitor to ever step onto the mat. Individuals like Andre Galvao, Vagner Rocha, Matheus Diniz, Bo Nickal, Marcus Almeida, Rousimar Palhares, and even Tonon himself have all fallen to Ryan. What’s more impressive about that resume is that he gets these victories displaying a level of ease, often predicting the finishing technique.
Ryan has become such a big part of submission grappling, that his impact spurred the UFC into bringing more grappling onto its streaming platform, UFC Fight Pass. Ryan has performed on that streaming service, taking part in some important cards in recent memory. His last performance came against Patrick Gaudio, where he submitted his foe via armbar.
Gordon Ryan is famous in combat sports but doesn't compete in MMA
As with many figures in combat sports, Ryan doesn’t come without his own controversies. Many point toward his behavior online as problematic at the least, with some going outright to say his actions, words, and posts are racist and xenophobic.
Ryan is not signed to the UFC, but he is a well-known force within submission grappling and combat sports. His cache helped bring more grappling to UFC Fight Pass and fans will continue to see him perform on that stage.
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