Gordon Ryan announces another leave of absence from competition due to stomach issues
Gordon Ryan announced he will not be competing, other than the ADCC World Championships, in 2024 due to stomach issues.
After competing just one time in 2023 due to illness and ongoing health issues, Gordon Ryan has yet again announced that he’s forced on the sidelines – with the exception of the 2024 ADCC World Championships – due to stomach issues.
The current Who’s Number One (WNO) heavyweight champion and reigning ADCC +99kg and Superfight champion announced his leave of absence in a lengthy post on Instagram.
I’m taking some time – I was going to make 2 posts, but I posted the stomach update in slide 2 and 3👉. I came back for ADCC 2022, which I barely made it to with my stomach. After ADCC, I got overconfident and went ahead and started competing again, which was against my initial plan. The 4th pena camp was the hardest I ever pushed my body. The last 2 weeks, my body shut down, and after my best camp ever, i couldn’t compete. Then, because of my stomach issues, my suppressed immune system took 45 days (on antibiotics) to clear a simple strep throat infection, which then colonized in my tonsils (also have strep and staph in my intestines), needing them to be removed. It took me 6 months to recover from that camp 😂. What I went through these last few weeks wasn’t fun. I was bedridden for weeks without eating, stomach full with bile, spending 3-4 hours a day belching and dry heaving in the bathroom. While living that, I’ve finally accepted and came to peace with the fact that my body can’t handle the amount of pressure I put it under until my stomach and immune system is 100% better. My immune system simply can’t handle the workload of camp after camp. I am going to attempt to, as hard as this is, not return to competition until my stomach on paper is 100% better. I don’t care how much money I lose, I don’t care what people think, I can not live like this. When people say that nothing in life matters but your health, they are absolutely right. Feeling like I have been, I’d trade it all just to be healthy. As much as it pains me, I’m going to attempt to step away from all competitions EXCEPT ADCC until my stomach is 100% healthy on paper, by the tests, and by how I feel. Working at half better is only working on borrowed time until my body shuts down again from the workload I put on it. Taking however much time i need to get 100% healthy. I believe it will be better long term, obviously for day to day life, but also competition success and reliability as an athlete showing up. As hard as this is, I will only be competing at ADCC until my health is 100% restored, and if it’s not, no one will ever do what I’ve done, so I can be at peace with that. Love you all
Importantly, Ryan explained that, even though he is too ill to train and compete otherwise, he will be able to compete at the 2024 ADCC World Championships, set to go down this August in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Gordon Ryan and stomach issues
This is far from the first time that Ryan – a man widely regarded as the sport’s top pound-for-pound grappler – has stepped away from the action due to health issues.
Ryan has been plagued by injuries and illness over the past couple of years. He spent the bulk of 2021 out of action due to ongoing stomach issues that he said prevented him from training at full capacity.
In 2022, Ryan returned in top form to put on a dominant showing at the ADCC World Championships, winning gold in the +99kg division and submitting Andre Galvao to claim the ADCC Superfight title.
He was then slated for a much-anticipated fourth match against rival Felipe Pena in early 2023, but withdrew days before that event, citing a stomach virus. That match has not been re-booked.
In May 2023, Ryan announced an extended leave of absence, again due to ongoing stomach issues.
And most recently, in November 2023, the 28-year-old black belt withdrew from scheduled matches against Lucas Barbosa and Mason Fowler, yet again citing health concerns.
