5 ADCC-Related Facts You Didn't Know About Nicky Ryan
5 ADCC-Related Facts You Didn't Know About Nicky Ryan
We sat down with Nicky Ryan for a 20-minute interview and there was so much good information that you may have missed some of the key takeaways.
We sat down with Nicky Ryan for a 20-minute interview at the Renzo Gracie Academy, and there was so much good information that you may have missed some of the key takeaways.
1. He wasn't nervous for his first ADCC in 2017
Ryan took double bronze at the ADCC Trials last time around, and trained through the whole ADCC camp anyway alongside his teammates. When Justin Rader got sick right at the last minute, he got the call to compete. The result? No nerves.
"I was less nervous for ADCC over any other tournament. I had no pressure, I was a last minute replacement and I wasn't expected to do well. So overall I didn't get that nervous, but I didn't perform like I wanted to so hopefully I can do better this time."
2. He knows wrestling is important, but he hates it
ADCC has been described as a wrestling contest with submissions, and the penalties against guard pulling mean you need to know how to wrestle. Nicky gets it, but that doesn’t mean he has to like it.
"It's awful, I hate it. It's so much harder than jiu-jitsu. Jiu-jitsu you can lay on your back, you can be lazy, it's not as tiring as wrestling. Wrestling, you gotta be in stance, but overall I like it and you're going to see me wrestle at ADCC."
3. He would like a match with Renato Canuto
When we spoke to Nicky he was signed up in the 77kg division, and there was one particular grappler that he was looking forward to facing.
"He's been on fire lately. He's overall exciting, he doesn't stall, he pushes forward, all of his matches are entertaining. He always hits some sort of highlight reel move
4. He gained a lot of confidence from his brother Gordon Ryan
Even though Gordon never really sat down and counseled Nicky, the elder Ryan’s winning ways rubbed off on young Nicky.
"Before Gordon won ADCC, everybody was like "oh DDS guys, all they do is leg locks, they're not world class. So it was really nice to have a guy from the team go out and win ADCC. It's nice to see that the shit I've dedicated my life to for the last five years works."
5. He's picking Andre Galvao over Felipe Pena
Everybody has their thoughts on the ADCC superfight– here are Nicky’s.
"It's a hard one to call. I would say Galvao is going to win because I think he has better wrestling. He'll either be able to put him down and either win by two or Felipe will turn and he'll get to his back."
