Gordon Ryan has officially stepped away from competition and this time, it feels real.
The 30-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu superstar shocked the grappling world by announcing what he called the “probable end” of his legendary career. After a decade at black belt and 10 years on top of the sport, Gordon Ryan says ongoing health issues have forced him to make a decision he never wanted to make.
“Today marks 10 years at black belt, 10 years on top of the sport, and the probable end to my competitive career,” Gordon Ryan wrote on Instagram. “As many of you know, I’ve had this debilitating and seemingly unfixable stomach issue since recurring staph infections/antibiotics wiped out my good gut biome.
“Without going into too much boring detail, the problem has gone through phases of better and worse over the years, and has now morphed into a multitude of new problems, including me just getting sick or staph whenever I train hard and compromise my immune system in any way. Because of these issues, I have not been able to train or lift hard since January of 2024, as I just begin dry heaving immediately when I do.
“I competed in ADCC with no camp, at 10 percent of how I should have been operating, and I have seen no improvement in my condition since. This, of course, has been immensely frustrating, as my technical skills are far better than ever, my body is otherwise very healthy, and I’m only 30 (10 years from my prime). I have so much more left to give if I could just fix this one issue.”
Gordon Ryan hasn’t competed since his dominant ADCC run in August 2024, where he defeated Yuri Simoes and longtime rival Felipe Pena. But behind the scenes, his body was breaking down.
The man widely regarded as the greatest no-gi grappler of his generation has battled severe stomach complications for years. According to Gordon Ryan, recurring staph infections and heavy antibiotic use destroyed his gut health, triggering long-term immune issues that now prevent him from training at full intensity.
For an athlete whose dominance came from relentless preparation and physical superiority, that limitation has proven devastating.
While Gordon Ryan says he’s done “for now,” he hasn’t ruled out a comeback if his health improves. In fact, he already has unfinished business in mind.
“I’m still on the mats almost every day, but not able to do what my mind tells my body. Because of this, I believe it is best I put my focuses elsewhere for now as I try to remedy my stomach, and possibly return one day, pending my health and assessment of relative physical skills at the time, as my knowledge is unmatched,” he concluded.
“For now, I can confidently say, I am done. I will spend the next few years building @kingsway_hq to its student capacity, opening a global affiliation program, helping the athletes achieve all of their goals and dreams, and sharing all of [my] knowledge with the world.
“After that, who knows. There are far too many people involved to thank, but you know who you are. To the fans, thank you. The thought of selling out T-Mobile Arena for a jiu-jitsu event was unheard of when I started training.
We truly made this sport something great, and you all have made me genuinely wealthy along the way.
“This wouldn’t have been possible without you all and your constant support. Thank you to everyone involved, and I hope to be back… especially for 2 matches with Vinny and a last dance with Felipe. Until the time comes.”
Gordon Ryan leaves the competitive mats as one of the most decorated grapplers in history. Over the past 15 years, he built a résumé filled with victories over elite names like Andre Galvao, Marcus Almeida, Nick Rodriguez, Craig Jones, and Garry Tonon.
He didn’t just win, he dominated. He changed how athletes approach no-gi grappling, elevated the sport’s commercial appeal, and helped push professional jiu-jitsu into major arenas.
Now, Gordon Ryan shifts his focus to coaching, business ventures, and rebuilding his health. Whether this marks the true end or just an extended pause remains to be seen.
For now, Gordon Ryan says he’s done. And if this truly is the end, he walks away as one of the greatest to ever step on the mats.
