“Steroids are not illegal in jiu-jitsu” - Gordon Ryan sparks controversy by rejecting USADA stipulations for Nicky Rod fight

Gordon Ryan is undoubtedly the most accomplished competitor in modern-day Jiu-jitsu. However, his stance on steroid use in combat sports, particularly jiu-jitsu has been a topic of contention for a while now. As a result, Ryan’s recent comments on the matter sparked controversy on the internet.

Ryan, who holds a remarkable 153-9-3 professional record, has not competed since defeating Nick Rodriguez via the Fastest Escape Time at the UFC Fight Pass Invitational 3 in December 2022. Rodriguez, who seems keen on avenging the loss, recently called out Ryan for being a part of the USADA (United States Anti Doping Agency) testing pool.

While interacting with MMA media recently, Gordon Ryan spoke about UFC Fight Pass Invitational 4, reiterated his stance on steroid use in BJJ, and also extended a counteroffer to Nick Rodriguez.

“First of all, no, because steroids are not illegal in Jiu-Jitsu. Number two, I actually have a contract coming to Nicky Rodriguez for USADA and WADA testing from now until the next ADCC, so interesting to see if he’s gonna sign that,” Gordon Ryan said.

“You can watch Ryan make the statement in the video below, courtesy of TheMacLife’s YouTube channel:

However, Ryan’s justification of steroid use sparked a major controversy on the internet. Martial arts fans jumped into the discussion to share their opinions, which mostly criticized Ryan’s statement.

Gordon Ryan’s comments on steroids set the internet ablaze

@ulysses2592 showed genuine concern over the impact of PED abuse on Gordon Ryan's health and wrote:

“He is generational talent but the gear is ruining his health.”

@petermcintosh222 took a different approach than mere trolling and underlined a very valid point of criticism toward BJJ practitioners that use steroids:

“BJJ philosophy was always about small natural athletes being able to defend themselves and win against bigger opponents through meticulous technique. Gordon Ryan and others are phenoms but they're such tainted legacies due to their ridiculous roid use,” @petermcintosh222 commented.

@jeffreyklima7612 put a question mark on Gordon Ryan’s accolades and stated:

“He just openly admitted he's a steroid user. No one should give this guy any accolades”

@Bdragon50 had a similar line of thought and wrote:

“Don't get me wrong; this dude has crazy bjj skills. Nobody can discount that for sure. Even if roids arnt illegal in bjj its still shady. Its kind of weird how proud he can be knowing that he blatently cheats.”

@whiteowlmassacre4907 called out Gordon Ryan for his remarks on Nick Rodriguez and said:

“If "steroids are not illegal in BJJ", why is Gordon always dismissing Nicky's successes as him being on steroids? Guy is so triggered by B Team lol.”

@rabbitsnraygunswithgregsch7648 expressed a strong opinion about Ryan and wrote:

“This guy is one of the worst things to happen to Jiujitsu. Loves his steroids that are destroying his guts.”

“He’s completely ruined his body,” @colezee7640 commented.

“How is this guy not condemned for his blatant steroid use and he’s had all the symptoms and looks 10-20 years older then he is,” @mileswrider6622 questioned.

@funkmasterflay2638 opined that Ryan might not be able to sustain his success if they were to put a strict ban on steroids in jiu-jitsu.

“When they don’t allow steroids soon he gon be ready to retire or just work his way around it to be fair but they’ll know to test him often,” @funkmasterflay2638 wrote.

“He looks so old for 27, honestly thought he was about 37,” @mukhammedkhankakhanov8853 wrote, alluding to the impact of steroids on Gordon Ryan’s body.

At the time of this article’s publishing, Gordon Ryan’s combat sports career is uncertain due to a number of health issues. Ryan has been suffering from multiple health issues. Most notable is an auto-immune disorder that causes food to stay in his stomach for extended periods of time.

It has shown no signs of improvement in spite of medication and treatment and also delayed Ryan’s MMA debut indefinitely. However, he is hoping to make a comeback soon and it will be interesting to see how it plays out for the champ.