World champion grappler Gordon Ryan sparked controversy with a rant supporting PEDs in combat sports, responding to fellow grappler Mikey Musumeci.
Ahead of Jon Jones’ UFC return in November, Ryan joined a star-studded team, including the renowned no-gi grappler.
Earlier this year, Ryan competed at ADCC, winning both of his matches and claiming the ADCC championship once again.
Gordon Ryan Sparks Controversy with PED Comments in Response to Mikey Musumeci
The 29-year-old Gordon Ryan has been open about his steroid use, which has sparked significant controversy in the martial arts world.
One notable figure who has spoken out about Ryan’s PED use is UFC-exclusive grappler Mikey Musumeci. The 28-year-old recently blamed Ryan for the sport’s growing acceptance of performance-enhancing drugs, prompting Ryan to fire back with a PED-infused rant.
Ryan attended UFC 310 this past Saturday and participated in a media scrum, despite not being signed by a promotion. Speaking at the media scrum Ryan stated;
“I’m pretty indifferent about PEDs, whether a tournament allows them or not,”
“If they want them, great. If not, that’s fine too.”
“I think matches would be better with them. Athletes would be better. They’d get paid more because the better you perform, the better you look.”
Ryan has argued that the appeal of professional sports comes from watching the best athletes in the world and that PEDs help enhance athletic performance.
While PEDs are illegal in MMA, Ryan’s teammate, Jon Jones, knows this all too well after his failed tests in 2016 and 2017.
Ryan concluded by saying;
“If people want to see the best athletes, the best athletes are those on PEDs.”
Gordon Criticizes PED Testing in Combat Sports, Claims It Benefits Top Athletes
The 29-year-old Gordon also argues that the current PED testing rules in combat sports are unfair, as top athletes with access to elite teams and doctors can “beat the tests” while up-and-coming fighters often can’t afford the resources to do so, creating an imbalance. Speaking about this Ryan said;
“All PED testing really does, in my opinion, is allow people with good teams and doctors to pass the tests,”
“Meanwhile, the up-and-coming fighters at smaller gyms, like one in Kentucky, can’t afford to beat the test and have to compete naturally. All it does is make the guys at the top able to pass the tests, and the guys at the bottom can’t.”
Gordon Ryan also claims that PEDs can help extend an athlete’s career, though this statement seems contradictory given his history of injuries.
Currently recovering from several knee injuries, Ryan is also dealing with ongoing stomach issues that have forced him to take a break from competition until 2025. Explaining the situation he stated;
“I’m just focusing on rehabbing my knee right now. I had an ACL and PCL sprain, and a grade 2 LCL tear in my first ADCC superfight with Pena,”
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
