Nicky Ryan is a professional BJJ athlete from the world famous Renzo Gracie gym in New York city. Rising to prominence during his mid-teens, he is the younger brother of the Nogi legend Gordon Ryan. However, Nicky is not in his brothers shadow as he is a successful competitor in his own right. Focusing primarily on Nogi, he has won various competitions and superfights whilst still legally not an adult.
Whilst Ryan’s wrestling and take downs are a key part of his game, he often likes to sit into a seated guard. This is also evident against bigger opponents where sitting is considered a safe option. Like his brother, Ryan uses the Butterfly guard as one of his main positions. Also, similar to many of the Death Squad competitors he is well versed in heel hooks and leg attacks which can be entered via the Butterfly guard.
From the top, Ryan’s most typical finish is the Rear Naked choke. This was utilised when he won the 2019 ADCC trials where the RNC was used to defeat three opponents, the other sub being a heelhook. With this in mind Nicky Ryan is clearly a versatile and skilled grappler in all positions.
However, despite his success at a young age, his coach John Danaher claimed he was “not a prodigy”. Instead Danaher claimed that Ryan was a success due to his work ethic and mature mind.
This can be seen with Ryan’s obsession with BJJ who trains almost daily, several times a day without failure. With this in mind, it’s easy to see why he has progressed at such a rapid pace.
Ryan usually competes at the 65-70KG mark, making him a lighter competitor compared to most. However, his brother Gordon also competed at a similar weight when younger, so it would not be a bad assumption that Nicky also becomes heavier as his body matures.
Considering this, it is clear that Nicky Ryan has a bright future ahead of him. His competition record is already successful beating the likes of Kade Ruotolo and Uriah Faber. Ryan has all the tools to become one of the worlds best…and possibly a future ADCC world champion.
