We went DEEP into the vault to dig out some super-rare footage of one of the top pound-for-pound grapplers in the world when he was still a brown belt lightweight!

Below you'll find Gordon Ryan's matches from when he became the 2015 IBJJF World No-Gi champion in the brown belt lightweight division. 

Only 20 years old at the time, he cuts a far different figure to the 200lb+ monster we know today, an ADCC champion and near-unstoppable submission machine who is considered one of the best no-gi grapplers in the game. 

Gordon hits three subs in the four matches below, including a rear naked strangle and a toehold, foreshadowing the game he became so well-known for in his black belt career. 

Ryan did not return to IBJJF competition for nearly three years, during which he became ADCC champion and made a name for himself in the sub-only scene. He returned in September 2018 to win the Pan No-Gi, submitting all of his opponents. 

WATCH: Gordon Ryan 2015 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds

Gordon Ryan vs Lucas Tobias 2015 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds

Gordon Ryan vs Johnny Morgan 2015 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds

Semifinal: Gordon Ryan vs Silvio Duran 2015 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds

Final: Gordon Ryan vs Jacob Ferrara 2015 IBJJF No-Gi Worlds