Nick Rodriguez agrees to random USADA testing funded by Gordon Ryan
Gordon Ryan has agreed to pay to randomly drug test Nick Rodriguez.
The animosity between former Danaher Death Squad teammates Nick Rodriguez and Gordon Ryan has been mounting over the past few days, spurred on by recent comments Rodriguez made about Ryan’s steroid use. While Ryan essentially admits to using PEDs, Rodriguez claims to be a natural athlete – and Ryan disagrees.
Shortly after Rodriguez made those comments, Ryan answered back with a slew of social media posts directed at the two-time ADCC silver medalist. On Wednesday, Rodriguez announced that he had taken a blood test to prove his status as a natural athlete. The results of that test have yet to be released, but YouTuber Zack Telander has put out a video showing the B-Team athlete having his blood drawn.
Within hours, Ryan posted to Instagram that Rodriguez could just be “off cycle” at the moment and that the only way to confirm that Rodriguez is not using PEDs is random drug testing. Ryan offered to pay for the random testing.
Shortly after that, Rodriguez responded in the comments, agreeing to random testing under certain circumstances: Ryan would pay Rodriguez $10,000 for each clean test, but Rodriguez would pay Ryan for every failed test.
Still not satisfied, Ryan fired back, claiming that Rodriguez plans to stop using steroids in order to collect money for each clean test, even though that would mean losing against elite competition. Ultimately, though, Ryan indicated that he would move forward with his plan to pay for Rodriguez’s random drug testing.
The beef between Gordon Ryan and Nick Rodriguez
The two former teammates largely maintained a cordial public relationship since the split of the Danaher Death Squad in the summer of 2021. That has changed in recent months, though.
Ryan and Rodriguez first met in competition in September 2022 in the final of the heavyweight division at the 2022 ADCC World Championships where Ryan made quick work of Rodriguez, submitting him via heel hook. That victory would mark Ryan’s fourth ADCC gold medal, and he would go on later that day to defeat Andre Galvao in the ADCC superfight, extending his impressive years-long unbeaten streak.
In December 2022, the two rematched at the UFC Fight Pass Invitational 3. That match was conducted under EBI rules and went much differently than their ADCC encounter. After a close and competitive regulation period, Ryan defeated Rodriguez by way of control time in overtime.
After that match, Ryan accused Rodriguez of greasing – covering his body in lotion in order to make it easier to slide out of grips and submissions. Those comments prompted Rodriguez to speak on Ryan’s open use of steroids.
