Gordon Ryan has responded to a $1 million challenge match from former teammate Nick Rodriguez and has provided many stipulations for that match to occur.
A third showdown between former Danaher Death Squad teammates Gordon Ryan and Nick Rodriguez is currently one of the biggest matches to be made in submission grappling.
Earlier this month, Rodriguez won the +80kg division at the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational (CJI) with a 100 percent submission rate, winning the $1 million prize. Immediately following his tournament-clinching victory over Fellipe Andrew, Rodriguez took to the mic to propose a $1 million bet match against Ryan.
That same weekend, Ryan competed in two superfights at the 2024 ADCC World Championships, earning points victories over long-time rival Felipe Pena and 2022 ADCC absolute champion Yuri Simoes.
On Wednesday, Ryan formally responded to Rodriguez’s call-out.
In short, Ryan accepted the $1 million challenge but attached a number of stipulations. First, Ryan says that the match must be a no-time-limit, submission-only match. He also says that both athletes must wear long-sleeve rash guards and full-length spats in order to minimize the chances of greasing. Finally, Ryan says that the match will only happen on a date of his choosing, on a platform of his choosing, and only if and when he is healthy.
Regarded by many as the sport’s top pound-for-pound grappler, Ryan has competed infrequently over the past couple of years, often citing ongoing stomach issues that he claims limit both his training and ability to eat food.
For his part, Rodriguez has been angling for a match against Ryan for some time. The pair first collided in the final of the +99kg division at the 2022 ADCC World Championships, where Ryan picked up a relatively quick heel hook victory. A few months later, they met again at the UFC Fight Pass Invitational. That night, Ryan earned a narrow win via EBI overtime – and quickly accused Rodriguez of greasing after that match.
