Gordon Ryan — BJJ ADCC Champion & The King of Grappling

Born in 1995 in New Jersey, Gordon Ryan began training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu as a teenager under Garry Tonon, who introduced him to John Danaher's training group at the Renzo Gracie Academy in New York. Within a few years, Ryan was competing at the highest levels of no-gi submission wrestling. His breakthrough moment came at the 2015 EBI (Eddie Bravo Invitational), where he submitted elite opponents and announced himself as a future world-beater.



At just 21 years old, Ryan entered the 2017 ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championships and did the unthinkable: he won both the +99kg weight class and the Absolute division, defeating giants of the sport including Vinny Magalhaes and Felipe Pena. He became the youngest person ever to win ADCC Absolute. Two years later, at ADCC 2019 in Anaheim, he repeated the feat in dominant fashion, again winning both divisions. In 2022, he completed the trilogy with a third consecutive Absolute title.



Ryan's training under John Danaher shaped his game into a systematic whole. Rather than collecting techniques, he built interconnected systems: the back-attack system, the leg-entanglement system, and a guard-passing game designed to funnel opponents into predictable positions. His ability to control distance, manage grips, and exploit positional hierarchy has made him nearly impossible to submit.



Outside competition, Ryan has been an influential online educator, releasing instructional series through BJJ Fanatics and openly discussing his training methodologies. His 'Systems' approach to BJJ has influenced a generation of grapplers who now train in the New Wave Jiu-Jitsu framework under Danaher.

Gordon Ryan's game is built on positional control rather than scrambles. He prefers to win the wrestling exchanges to gain top position, pass the guard methodically, and then attack the back or set up leg entanglements from top. His passing game features double-underhook pressure passes that flatten opponents and remove their guard before they can threaten. Once in dominant position, he attacks the back with extraordinary precision — his rear-naked choke finish rate from back mount is among the highest in elite competition.

What separates Ryan from other elite grapplers is the depth of his defensive game. He rarely panics, rarely gives up position, and turns potential danger into counter-attack opportunities. He trained extensively in leg locks with Danaher, developing inside heel hooks, outside heel hooks, and toe holds as systematic attacks rather than desperate submissions.

Ryan's signature technique is the inside heel hook from the leg entanglement position. He enters leg entanglements from failed guard passes or guard pull situations, secures the heel with both arms (the 'saddle' position), and applies rotational pressure to the knee. His entry is so clean that opponents often do not realize they are in danger until the submission is tight.

Studying Gordon Ryan teaches practitioners how to think about grappling systematically. His game demonstrates that every position connects to another: pass → back take → choke, or pass → leg entanglement → heel hook. Students who study Ryan learn to see grappling as a series of linked positions rather than isolated techniques. His publicly available instructionals and YouTube content are among the most educational resources in no-gi BJJ, particularly for advanced practitioners working on back control and leg locks.

• 2017 ADCC: Won both +99kg and Absolute divisions at age 21 — youngest ever ADCC Absolute champion. Submitted Vinny Magalhaes and Felipe Pena along the way.
• 2019 ADCC: Repeated the double gold performance in Anaheim, defeating Andre Galvao in the Absolute final to cement his status as the best grappler in the world.
• 2022 ADCC: Third consecutive Absolute title in Las Vegas, defeating Felipe Pena in both the weight and Absolute finals in a historic performance.
• WNO vs Andre Galvao (2021): Submitted the legendary Andre Galvao in under 2 minutes with a rear-naked choke at Who's Number One — one of the most watched matches in grappling history.
• Undefeated run: Over a multi-year period, Ryan compiled an unbeaten record against top competition, turning down opponents he deemed unworthy and accepting only the hardest challenges.

• Learn to pass the guard first: Ryan emphasizes that leg lock attacks are most reliable from top position. Work on pressure passing (double underhooks, knee cut) before diving into leg entanglements.
• Study back mount systematically: Ryan's back control relies on maintaining both hooks, managing the opponent's hips, and being patient. Practice the 'body triangle' alternative to hooks for top-level control.
• Develop a heel hook 'saddle' entry: Start from the outside, secure the figure-four on the leg, then rotate to inside heel hook. Drill the entry 100× before applying in sparring.
• Watch his instructionals with a notebook: Ryan explains his reasoning extensively. Take notes on 'why' each move connects to the next — this conceptual framework is more valuable than individual techniques.