Gordon Ryan, the 3x ADCC champion, 4x EBI champion and IBJJF no-gi champion, has signed a deal with ONE Championship to compete both as a mixed martial artist and and in submission grappling. The deal was announced on ONE Championship CEO Chatri Sityodtong’s Twitter.
BREAKING NEWS: Gordon Ryan has signed with ONE Championship for both mixed martial arts and submission grappling!
— Chatri Sityodtong (@yodchatri) March 22, 2021
Ryan’s move to MMA has been speculated for quite some time, with people wondering how his skills would transfer to the cage. A date or opponent is yet to be announced but with his extensive grappling credentials Gordon Ryan could definitely be a force to be reckoned with. There is no shortage of Jiu-Jitsu heavy fighters in the world of MMA but few if any have the skill or popularity of Gordon Ryan.
Ryan is somewhat of a polarising figure in the world of Jiu-Jitsu, with his recent physical confrontation with André Galvão going viral. The confrontation occurred after Galvao began to throw insults at Ryan claiming he was “all talk” before extending his middle finger toward him. Ryan responded by slapping Galvao hard across the face. This was the end of the incident with Galvao later saying he ‘forgave’ Ryan in a live video on his instagram. Those who follow Gordon Ryan’s social media will be aware that he is very outspoken when it comes to his views, both political and competitive, frequently calling out fellow BJJ competitors in his posts and videos.
Ryan’s striking skills are somewhat of an anomaly, with his commitment to BJJ being the main focus throughout his career, it is yet to be seen how he will fare in the stand up game. It will be interesting to see if he takes a ‘Demian Maia’ type approach and use his striking as a way to engage his grappling or whether he will be able to hone his striking skills into a considerable asset.
Regardless of the outcome it is a guarantee that his first fight will be a huge event for the Japanese promotion and will draw plenty of new eyes to their product. How do you think he will fare in MMA? who would you like to see him face?
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