Gordon Ryan vs. Felipe Pena is arguably the biggest rivalry in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 2024. And this weekend, for the first time since 2022, the two grappling stars will meet on the mat. 

Both are very eager to make the other submit at the 2024 ADCC World Championship Superfight on Aug. 17 to close out the first day of action inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. 

The Ryan-Pena rivalry goes back nearly a decade, and Pena is still the only opponent ever to submit Ryan. 

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He’s the only grappler with a winning record against Ryan at 2-1. 

But the last Pena win over Ryan happened seven years ago. In 2022, Ryan defeated Pena in a WNO match. The two were supposed to grapple for the fourth time in February 2023 at a WNO event, but Ryan’s stomach illness, which continues to impact him in 2024, forced him out of the match. 

The wait has indeed made their hearts grow colder to one another. 

Here’s just a bit of the trash talk between Gordon Ryan and Felipe Pena before they meet at the 2024 ADCC World Championship Superfight. 

Gordon Ryan, Pedro Marinho And Making Felipe Pena Mad

In 2022, Felipe Pena thought Ryan was disrespectful to Pedro Marinho after Ryan beat him for the WNO Championship. That match came before Pena and Ryan met on Aug. 22, 2022, and before the 2022 ADCC World Championship. 

Ryan made it clear that he was out to end Pena's career and questioned Pena's mentorship skills. 

"If you don't want me to hold your student down and mount for 20 minutes, and pat his head, maybe you should make your students better," Ryan said. 

"Just listening to this guy talk, it's like 'Whoa this guy is a dumb as a rock.' He doesn't even think about the things that he says before they come out of his mouth."

Ryan ended the 2022 interview saying it was a mistake for him to want the match. 

"This was probably the biggest mistake of Pena's career and his life in general... I will retire him."

Ryan went on to win his first match against Pena a few weeks later, but didn't retire him, and set up the scrapped 2023 match. 

Felipe Pena On Gordon Ryan: 'I Don't Respect Him At All'

It's personal for Pena, and he made that clear after he beat Nicky Rodriguez, who filled in for Ryan in 2023, in a 30-minute match on three days notice.

" I don't care about him," Pena said. "I don't respect him at all outside a match. I can watch his fights, his jiu-jitsu-- he's really good at jiu-jitsu. But outside the match? As a person? I don't respect him at all. 

"So when we stop competing, I'll just say 'whatever this guy is, I don't give a shit.'"

When asked when Pena vs. Ryan IV would be rescheduled, Pena added that he would be against a no-time-limit match because if Ryan pulled out again because "he's pooping too much in his pants" they wouldn't be able to find a replacement. 

Gordon Ryan Credits Felipe Pena For Paying For His Cars, Backyard

In the lead-up to WNO 24, Ryan welcomed the FloGrappling team into his home for a behind-the-scenes look at his training. 

He then began pointing at cars and saying what Felipe Pena had provided him. 

"We have a Jeep, brought to you by Felipe Pena," he said. "We have a Porsche, brought to you by Felipe Pena. We have a TRX, brought to you by Felipe Pena... we have this beautiful back yard and back porch, brought to you by Felipe Pena, as well."

Gordon Ryan: 'He's Con-man, Liar'

Ryan told FloGrappling that no one really knows how good Pena is because they know him for one thing. 

"People don't even talk about Felipe's accomplishments," Ryan said. "They just say, 'Oh, that's the guy that beat Gordon that one time ... that's the biggest accomplishment Felipe is ever going to have."

As a person? Ryan clearly hates Pena as much as Pena hates Ryan. 

"As a person, I think he's just, kind of a delusional, con-man, liar," Ryan said. "As a grappler, I think he's good."

Ryan added that he thinks Pena hasn't gotten better: "He's just kind of a guy who just hasn't gotten any better. Like every time Felipe comes out, he says 'you're going to see a different animal,' and then it's just the same stuff he did and does all the time. But he's tough."  

ADCC Bracket Predictions

Here are the ADCC World Championship Bracket predictions from FloGrappling: 

Women's Brackets 

• FloGrappling Analysts Predict How The ADCC -55kg Bracket Will Be Seeded
• FloGrappling Analysts Predict How The ADCC -65kg Bracket Will Be Seeded
• FloGrappling Analysts Predict How The ADCC +65kg Bracket Will Be Seeded

Men's Brackets

• FloGrappling Analysts Predict How The ADCC 66kg Bracket Will Be Seeded
• FloGrappling Analysts Predict How The ADCC 77kg Bracket Will Be Seeded
• FloGrappling Analysts Predict How The ADCC 88kg Bracket Will Be Seeded
• FloGrappling Analysts Predict How The ADCC -99kg Bracket Will Be Seeded

Once brackets are revealed, track them at FloArena. 

How To Watch The 2024 ADCC World Championship

The 2024 ADCC World Championship will be streaming live in the United States on FloGrappling and the FloSports app. 

Replays, highlights and news also will be available on both platforms.

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