Gordon Ryan: The King of Grappling
For nearly a decade, Gordon Ryan has ruled the no-gi Brazilian Jiu‑Jitsu landscape. Widely regarded as the GOAT of no‑gi grappling, he pairs world‑class skill with shrewd marketing—turning wins into best‑selling instructionals on BJJ Fanatics and helping elevate professional grappling as a viable career for modern athletes.
Who Is Gordon Ryan?
- Born: July 8, 1995, in New Jersey
- Started BJJ: Age 15 under Miguel Benitez
- Black Belt: 2016 from Garry Tonon
- Major Titles: 7× ADCC and 2× IBJJF World Champion
Recent Career Highlights
- 2024 – Won his fights in ADCC
- 2024 – Defeated Josh Saunders in a comeback test
- 2023 – Beat Felipe Pena at Who’s Number One
- 2022 – Captured ADCC gold and won the Super Fight vs. Andre Galvao
- 2021 – Announced a temporary retirement due to health issues
Gordon Ryan Record
- Submission Rate: 82%
- Career Record: 98 wins, 5 losses (only one submission loss)
- Top Finish: Rear Naked Choke (~33% of submission wins)
- Leg Locks: Inside heel hook accounts for ~10% of wins
Personal Life
Gordon has been open about ongoing stomach health challenges that have intermittently kept him off the mats—including a brief retirement announcement in 2021. With the help of specialists, he reports significant improvement, though he notes he isn’t fully recovered. He shares health updates and frequent technical breakdowns on Instagram.
He is frequently seen with his longtime partner Nathalia Santoro, a brown belt under John Danaher, who often appears as his training partner in instructional content.
Following the split of the original DDS, several athletes formed the B‑Team. Gordon’s brother, Nicky Ryan, departed as well, and the brothers have not been publicly training together since.
Best‑Selling BJJ Fanatics Instructionals
Gordon is rare in that he actively showcases the systems he sells—often winning matches using the very sequences he teaches. That proof‑of‑concept builds trust and makes his courses some of the most popular in the sport.
- They Shall Not Pass – Comprehensive passing strategies
- The Pillars of Defence – Escapes and survival frameworks
- Systematically Attacking the Legs – Modern leg‑lock system
- Systematically Attacking the Guard – Guard‑cracking principles
Where to start? Echoing John Danaher’s advice: build defence first. If you’re new or returning, begin with The Pillars of Defence to harden your survival skills before layering on aggressive systems.
His YouTube Channel
In 2024, Gordon launched the Gordon Ryan YouTube channel, quickly amassing tens of thousands of subscribers. The content blends technical BJJ breakdowns, behind‑the‑scenes training, and lifestyle pieces—especially his passion for performance cars.
Kingsway Jiu‑Jitsu — Opened Now in Texas
It’s long been public that Gordon and team planned a Houston academy. With build‑out photos showing fresh Fuji mats, the project moved forward under a new banner: Kingsway Jiu‑Jitsu (rebranding from New Wave). It is now open and appears to be a real success, with numerous people already training there.
Check out their Kingswayjiujitsu.com website to learn more.
Summary
Gordon Ryan remains the biggest star in grappling. His competitive record, high finish rate, and ability to demonstrate systems under pressure have made his BJJ Fanatics catalog a go‑to for serious students. After testing his health in June 2024 against Australian ADCC veteran Josh Saunders, he continued competing at the highest level, reinforcing why he’s called The King.
For a curated path through his catalog, see our pick‑list: Best Gordon Ryan Instructionals for Beginners to Advanced. Or browse everything on BJJ Fanatics.
