Michael Jordan was more than a player, he was a genius
Many of us know that Michael Jordan is a very famous sports figure. In fact, he is arguably the greatest basketball player of all time.
But that’s not all that truly made him a worldwide phenomenon. Here’s the thing; he built the NBA into a global brand, partnered with Nike to launch the Air Jordan sneaker, had some off-court troubles, and quit the sport in his prime, only to come back and dominate status. I mean, what an incredible journey has it been? Am I right?
Is Gordon Ryan a similar phenomenon?
Well, today we’re talking about another athlete with a strikingly similar trajectory. Sports: Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. This guy…Gordon Ryan. I know it’s quite bold to compare him to MJ instead of Michael Jackson, even though he is the King of Pop and Ryan’s nickname in the BJJ world is…The King. So that’s it… plus he has the summary to prove it and my wife thinks he’s pretty hot too.
Look, Ryan is a polarizing figure, known for his incredible skills on the mat and his controversial image off it; so, let’s explore his journey and why we think he He is the Michael Jordan of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.
To understand Gordon Ryan’s rise, we need to look back to his early years. Born and raised in Monroe Township, New Jersey, Ryan, like many of us, got his start in combat sports with his older brother who kicked the shit out of him.
Gordon Ryan’s Beginnings
At the age of 15, Ryan began training in BJJ under the tutelage of respected BJJ black belt and mixed martial artist Tom DeBlass. De Blas recognized Ryan’s talent and began taking him to New York’s Renzo Gracie Gym for more in-depth training. It was here that Ryan met his current mentor and long-time coach, John Danaher.
If you’re not familiar with Danaher, most people would describe him as a light-hearted, enthusiastic and, frankly, goofy guy.
That was his Saturday Night Live audition, and it looks like Lorne Michaels really missed out.
No, but seriously, he is one of the greatest minds and coaches in martial arts. He developed a systematic, methodical approach to leg locks that fell out of fashion at the time until his protégés and his teams began using it to win matches. Can you guess who that is? No, points out Brian Scalabrine. Our man: Gordon Ryan!
Now I know what you are thinking, what does this have to do with Michael Jordan? Why is this ill-structured comparison still being made? what is it? Is it for the algorithm or something? Well, let’s get into act two, baby, and you’ll find out.
Michael Jordan is the GOAT, right?
When Michael Jordan played basketball, he was by far the most dominant player in the league. 6-time NBA champion, 6-time NBA Finals MVP, 5-time NBA Most Valuable Player, 14-time NBA All-Star, and still maintains career regular season scoring average and career playoff scoring average records.
I mean, goats. correct?
Is this Gordon Ryan?
Now, Gordon Ryan is also really good…you know, five-time ADCC World Champion, two-time IBJJF No-Gi World Champion, and four-time Eddie Bravo Invitational Champion. Achieved 54 consecutive victories, with a record-breaking submission rate of 82%. He’s considered the greatest no-gi fighter of all time, but it’s probably one of those things you have to see to believe.
If you pull up Gordon Ryan’s record, you’ll see a string of incredible wins. But I need to point out the impressive performance at the 2022 ADCC World Championships, which are basically the Olympics of wrestling. Within two days, Ryan defeated four of the world’s top fighters and became the champion in the over-99kg category. Heikki Jusila. Rear naked asphyxiation. Victor Hugo. 8-0. Roosevelt Souza. Heel hook. Nick Rodriguez. Heel hook. Not only did he defeat his competitors, he dominated them.
But he didn’t stop there, he also had a super fight. this. identical. A day with Andre Galvao. Put it this way, if Gordon Ryan is Jordan, then Andre Galvo is Magic Johnson. So it’s a clash of titans. Let’s put it this way…there are fireworks before the battle. But we’ll talk about that later…
He got the win and earned the belt, and everything he had to do to get here was easy…
go away
Wait, just kidding, in 2018 and ’19, Ryan suffered from fungal overgrowth as a side effect of taking antibiotics to treat recurring staph infections. The fungus spread from his intestines and into his stomach, causing nausea so intense that Ryan quit competing altogether. Retirement 2021.
Well, I seem to remember someone retiring at the peak of a sport. Michael Jordan
Yes, I realize they retired for different reasons, one was due to serious health issues and the other was… Does anyone know why he decided to play baseball? Pretty wild, right?
they are all back
But when they both returned… Jordan completed his second three-peat, and Ryan immediately won the ADCC, the most prestigious BJJ competition in the world.
The problem is that he’s still only 27 years old. That’s the same number of clothes Katherine Heigl wore in that movie.
The world seems to be Gordon Ryan’s oyster, but it wasn’t always that way… Being so big, so successful, so competitive, so rich, doesn’t come without controversy.
Michael has also received some negative press throughout his career, whether it was from his gambling problem, snubbing Isiah Thomas from the Dream Team, or his silence on Nike’s unfair labor practices. It’s not always a bed of roses. Gordon Ryan is no exception. From his stance on steroids, to online complaints, to the disbandment of the Danaha Suicide Squad, he attracted a lot of attention.
hand
But one of the headlines taking the internet by storm is a slap that can be heard around the world – no, Brian Scalabrine, that’s just your head superimposed on Dana White’s controversial Power Slap League competition On the opponent…that’s a completely different video.
The incident caused a stir on the internet, and the entire BJJ community was paying close attention. I mean people are making breakdown videos of this “fight”.
I’m sure you’re saying that, but this is bound to happen all the time, and the truth is… it doesn’t. Jiu-Jitsu translates as the art of gentleness and is based on fundamental principles such as humility and self-control, and the slapping campaign angered many in the community.
But as they say, you have to crack a few eggs to make an omelet. Because you see, to be an elite athlete in any sport, you have to have character, talent and competitive spirit, and these two gentlemen have that. The truth is, both men left an indelible mark on their sport.
Jordan put the NBA back into the spotlight. He became synonymous with not only the league, but the sport as well. Gordon Ryan followed a similar route. Although Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu remains a growing sport, Ryan has become its biggest spokesperson. He brought new eyes and fame to the community, as well as more money.
He was able to parlay his fame into deals, including a massive seven-figure contract with FloSports and a series of lucrative instructional DVDs. That’s right, it’s an instructional DVD. But before you scoff at the idea of this guy selling records out of the trunk of his car…
Jordan’s style inspired an entire generation of basketball players, just like there would be no Kobe Bryant without Jordan. No LeBron. No Brian Scalabrine.
Gordon is doing the same thing for BJJ, and his physique, mentality and technical acumen are inspiring the next generation of elite fighting stars. In fact, Ryan’s story is not over yet. He is only 27 years old and is still far from his peak. We already call him the greatest fighter of all time, imagine what he can do in the next 10 years?
Is it crazy to say that he might even surpass Michael Jordan when all is said and done? I mean, yeah, it’s crazy, but who knows! ? Gordon. Jordan…Jordan Gordon…the greatest basketball fighter of all time. Look, what I’m saying is, this is why Gordon Ryan is the Michael Jordan of BJJ.
If you agree, let us know in the comments below. Or if you don’t.
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