Nicky Ryan: Record, Net Worth, Weight, Age & More!

Who is Nicky Ryan?

Nicky Ryan, a jiu-jitsu black belt trained by John Danaher, was once a key member of the Renzo Gracie Academy – New York, a team also known as the Danaher Death Squad (DDS). At just 13 years old, Ryan began making waves in the sport by winning adult tournaments. His impressive talent continued to flourish in the professional circuit, where he achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the youngest athlete (at 16 years old) to compete at the ADCC World Championships in 2017. Ryan went on to defeat several well-known opponents before turning 18, including Geo Martinez, Masakazu Imanari, and Uriah Faber. Interestingly, Ryan is also the younger brother of Gordon Ryan, an accomplished athlete who has won double gold medals at ADCC.

Who is Nicky Ryan?

Nicky Ryan, a jiu-jitsu black belt trained by John Danaher, was once a key member of the Renzo Gracie Academy – New York, a team also known as the Danaher Death Squad (DDS). At just 13 years old, Ryan began making waves in the sport by winning adult tournaments. His impressive talent continued to flourish in the professional circuit, where he achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the youngest athlete (at 16 years old) to compete at the ADCC World Championships in 2017. Ryan went on to defeat several well-known opponents before turning 18, including Geo Martinez, Masakazu Imanari, and Uriah Faber. Interestingly, Ryan is also the younger brother of Gordon Ryan, an accomplished athlete who has won double gold medals at ADCC.

What this article covers

• Who is Nicky Ryan?
• How Old is Nicky Ryan?
• How Much Does Nicky Ryan Weigh?
• Nicky Ryan Fight List
• Nicky Ryan's Best Fight of All Time
• Nicky Ryan Record
• Is Nicky Ryan Retired?

Nicky Ryan, born on June 27, 2001, in New Jersey, was introduced to the world of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu by his older brother, Gordon Ryan, when he was just eight years old. Initially, Nicky's experience with the sport was not very promising, as he trained only twice a week and lacked enthusiasm, causing his interest in the sport to wane.

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However, after seeing his brother's career soar, Nicky returned to training regularly in early 2015, driven by the desire to follow in his older brother's footsteps. With newfound motivation, Nicky began dedicating himself to training and refining his technique, which brought out his natural talent.

Nicky's early training regime included heel-hooks right from his first month of training, which proved to be fruitful as he began to win adult tournaments by the age of 13. His exceptional talent at such a young age garnered attention in grappling based internet forums, elevating his profile.

Despite being passionate about Jiu-Jitsu, Nicky struggled to balance his training with the demands of high school. As a result, he decided to leave the traditional school system in 2016 and was homeschooled, with his tuition handled by his Jiu-Jitsu coach, John Danaher, who himself is a Columbia University Philosophy major.

In 2016, Nicky participated in the ADCC East Coast Trials, where he placed third, gaining a significant recognition in the sport. He repeated the podium the following year at the East Coast trials, earning him an invitation to the World Championships in Finland in September 2017. At just 16 years old, Nicky became the youngest athlete ever to compete in this prestigious tournament.

Nicky's rapid progress continued as he followed his coach's John Danaher's program, earning him his purple belt at the young age of 16 on June 21st, 2017, a rare accomplishment for any athlete at that age. He later achieved brown belt status on October 9, 2019, and then earned his black belt on November 3, 2020, on the same day as his training partner Ethan Crelinsten.

Nicky's achievements in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu at such a young age are a testament to his incredible dedication and hard work. He is considered one of the most talented and promising young athletes in the sport and continues to inspire others with his passion and success.

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How Old is Nicky Ryan?

At the time of writing, March 22, 2023, Nicky Ryan is 21 years old.

Nicky Ryan Family

Gordon Ryan is Nicky Ryan's older brother and a world-renowned Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) competitor. Gordon is considered one of the best BJJ competitors of his generation and has won numerous championships and accolades in his career. He has also been a coach and mentor to his younger brother Nicky, who has followed in his footsteps and become a rising star in the sport.

After the DDS split up in Puerto Rico, Nicky and Gordon have had a publicly strained relationship, with the brothers training at different gyms in Austin, Texas. Nicky is one of the founders and a leader at B-Team, while Gordon continues to train with Danaher at New Wave.

How Much is Nicky Ryan Worth?

Nicky Ryan’s net worth is not public information. He is well known as one of the best no gi grapplers alive, and recently began running his own academy under Craig Jones and Nicky Rodriguez in Austin, Texas. The Gym is called B-Team.

How Tall is Nicky Ryan?

Nicky Ryan is generally described as being a relatively small competitor in the grappling world, which may suggest he is not particularly tall.

How Much Does Nicky Ryan Weigh?

Nicky Ryan has primarily competed at the featherweight (145 lbs) and lightweight (155 lbs) divisions in grappling competitions. However, he has also competed at higher weight classes, such as welterweight (170 lbs) and middleweight (185 lbs) in certain events.

Nicky Ryan Fight List

As a grappler, Nicky Ryan has had far too many bouts to list them all here. To get an idea of his prowess on the mat, check out his bio above which lists his amazing accomplishments in grappling, including his multiple ADCC bids:

• Winner of multiple major jiu-jitsu tournaments as a teenager
• Became one of the youngest athletes to ever compete in the prestigious ADCC World Championship at age 16
• Won gold at the 2019 IBJJF Pan No-Gi Championship in the lightweight division
• Won silver at the 2019 IBJJF No-Gi World Championship in the lightweight division
• Won gold at the 2020 Third Coast Grappling: Kumite V event in the lightweight division
• Earned his black belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu on November 3, 2020, at age 19, becoming one of the youngest black belts in the sport's history.

Nicky Ryan's Best Fight of All Time

Nicky Ryan has had many notable victories in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, but his biggest win to date is widely considered to be his submission victory over Urijah Faber at Submission Underground 19 in March 2021. Faber, a former WEC featherweight champion and UFC Hall of Famer, is a much larger and more experienced opponent than Ryan, making this win particularly impressive.

Who Did Nicky Ryan Lose To?

Nicky Ryan's most notable defeat in Brazilian jiu-jitsu came in August 2021 when he lost to Roberto Jimenez at the Who's Number One (WNO) event. The loss was notable because it was Nicky's first loss in a professional submission-only grappling match, and Roberto Jimenez is also a highly regarded and accomplished jiu-jitsu competitor.

Nicky Ryan Record

Nicky Ryan has competed all over the world since long before achieving black belt. He is currently 6-4 as a professional competitor, with many impressive wins along the way.

Nicky Ryan Injuries

It is common for Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu practitioners to experience injuries due to the physical demands of the sport. Nicky Ryan is no exception, and he has had several injuries throughout his career.

In November 2017, Nicky Ryan suffered a knee injury during a match with veteran grappler AJ Agazarm at a submission-only grappling event called "EBI 14: The Absolutes." Ryan was forced to withdraw from the tournament due to the injury.

In August 2019, Nicky Ryan pulled out of a superfight against Dante Leon at "KASAI Super Series" due to an injury. It was reported that Ryan had a back injury that forced him to withdraw from the event.

In November 2020, Nicky Ryan suffered an arm injury during a match with veteran grappler Tony Ramos at a grappling event called "Who's Number One." Ryan won the match, but the injury forced him to withdraw from his next scheduled match against PJ Barch.

Despite these setbacks, Nicky Ryan has shown resilience and determination in overcoming injuries and continuing to compete at the highest level of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.

Is Nicky Ryan Retired?

Nicky Ryan is not retired from professional grappling. He is still an active competitor and continues to train and compete in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. In fact, he recently competed in the Third Coast Grappling: Kumite VII event on February 26, 2022, where he won his match against Victor Hugo by submission.

Beyond just professional competition, Nicky Ryan is also a producer of instructional content that spreads his knowledge of the game to others. He has teamed up with BJJ Fanatics to film his excellent instructional series which is called “The Blueprint for No-Gi Grappling Domination” “Advanced No-Gi Back Attacks” by Nicky Ryan. In the latter instructional video, Nicky focuses specifically on attacking from the back in no-gi grappling, sharing advanced techniques and strategies for taking and controlling the back, as well as finishing with submissions. Make sure to check out these offerings today.

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