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“2024—Another year of me being half dead, but still on top.Gordon Ryan doesn’t just win, he survives in a sport as niche as jiu-jitsu. The greatest No-gi athlete of his generation has a way with words, at times cryptic as above, but always brutally honest. And for those entrenched in the unforgiving world of jiu-jitsu, his latest Instagram post hits home. Once again, the 29 year old phenom has conquered the sport, but at what price? Between relentless training, lingering health battles, and his fair share of controversy, Ryan has stayed at the top. But this time, he’s sounding the alarm, success in jiu-jitsu doesn’t necessarily mean financial security.

“Young athletes – jiu-jitsu is a participant-based sport, meaning that most people who watch it actually participate in it, and it is not a spectator sport yet, you will not make nearly as much money as pure athletes in other sports from competing,” Ryan stated bluntly on Instagram. Think about that for a second. Unlike the UFC, NBA, or NFL, where millions of fans tune in just to watch, jiu-jitsu is still a niche community where most spectators are practitioners themselves. That means less money in ticket sales, fewer sponsorships, and ultimately, a much smaller financial pie for athletes to take a slice from.

‘The King’ didn’t just state the problem, he laid out the harsh reality. While competing and teaching can bring financial stability for a select few, “none can become wealthy.” Instead, he argued, the real value of jiu-jitsu lies in the connections it helps build. “If you can use jiu-jitsu as a mechanism to build relationships, you can escape the financial prison that is the life of a jiu-jitsu athlete.”

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And this isn’t just theoretical for Ryan. The numbers speak for themselves. In 2024 alone, he raked in a staggering $9 million, not from tournament winnings, but from instructional courses and merchandise. His course They Shall Not Pass alone pulled in over $800,000, while Systematically Attacking The Crucifix brought in another $700,000. “2024 was a good one. Looking forward to 2025,” he wrote.

But despite making more money than most combat sports athletes, Ryan still insists that competition alone won’t get jiu-jitsu athletes anywhere near true financial freedom. “Nickel and diming people is a great way to make quick cash. Building long-term and trustworthy relationships with SOLID people is how you use jiu-jitsu to become wealthy,” he explain. It’s easy to look at Ryan’s success today and assume it came without struggles, but that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Beyond the rags to riches story, what truly sets Gordon Ryan apart?

We all love a good underdog story. An athlete who rises from nothing, battles adversity, and makes it big. But Gordon Ryan’s journey? It’s not your typical rags to riches script. His greatest battle hasn’t been against opponents on the mat, it’s been against his own body. For years, ‘The King’ fought an ongoing stomach illness that nearly derailed his career. First misdiagnosed as Helicobacter pylori in 2019, then as gastroparesis, doctors eventually discovered the real culprit, a massive fungal growth in his small intestine.

The symptoms were relentless. “It was affecting my kidney function, it was just awful. I was 24/7 nauseous. The best way that I can describe it is, the worst hangover you’ve ever had. Like, you want to throw up to feel better, but you can’t.” Imagine training for world-class competition while feeling like that every single day.

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At one point, the illness became so unbearable that he had no choice but to step away from competition. “It saddens me to make this post. My stomach isn’t cooperating with me anymore,” he admitted in 2021. Unsure of what the future held, he took a leave of absence. But quitting? Not in Gordon Ryan’s DNA. After all, he has only tapped out once in his career and it seems he made a decision nevver to let it happen again. He fought his way back, not just to the top of the sport, but to financial independence that didn’t rely on competing.

USA Today via Reuters

But Ryan isn’t just a champion, he’s also one of the most polarizing figures in jiu-jitsu. Unlike other athletes who dodge conversations about performance-enhancing drugs, Ryan has never shied away from the topic. “Number one, because they were legal in jiu-jitsu. Especially back then in 2016 when I started, there was no organization in jiu-jitsu that even tested for PEDs. So they were clearly legal,” he stated.

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His stance? Winning is what people remember. “People don’t remember anything other than the fact that you won or lost.” This blunt honesty has split the jiu-jitsu community. Some respect his transparency, others see it as an excuse. But no matter which side you’re on, one thing is undeniable, ‘The King’ has changed the game.

With millions in the bank and his health still a question mark, what’s next for Gordon Ryan? And more importantly, should other jiu-jitsu athletes start thinking beyond competition if they want long-term financial success? Gordon Ryan didn’t just follow the game, he rewrote the rules. But what do you think? Is his approach the future of jiu-jitsu, or is it a model only a few can follow? Let us know in the comments!

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