Was there ever any doubt? Few people watching Gordon Ryan at the 2019 ADCC World Championships in Anaheim, CA, would have bet against him taking gold, and the certainty of him becoming champion only increased as the tournament progressed. 

With three submissions in four matches, Ryan cruised to gold in the -99kg division, barely challenged by any of the opponents he faced. 

He tapped Ben Hodgkinson in the opening round and Tim Spriggs in the quarterfinal, both via rear naked choke. Lucas “Hulk” Barbosa proved a game opponent and offered much more of a challenge for Ryan, but the American shut down Hulk’s famed explosiveness and found the back locking on a body triangle for a decisive 3-0 win. 

Ryan continued his run of dominance with a one-arm rear naked choke against underdog Vinicius “Trator” Ferreira in nine minutes and 17 seconds. 

Ferreira had been invited to the tournament less than two weeks ago, replacing Keenan Cornelius after the American withdrew with a serious eye infection. Trator had played spoiler all weekend, beating former champion Vinny Magalhaes in the semifinal 2-0 and earning a referee’s decision against 2017 bronze medalist Jackson Sousa in the quarterfinal. 

Ryan rarely moved into second gear, cruising through his matches with an eye already on the absolute division. Employing a conservative style designed to save his energy for another possible four matches in the absolute, Ryan showcased the highly technical game he has become known for in every match. 

This was Ryan’s first major grappling event since getting knee surgery in February after he ruptured his LCL. 

“I’m not the same grappler I was two years ago,” he said in his post-match interview. Ryan will return for the absolute division, scheduled for Sunday afternoon. 

WATCH: 

Elimination round: Gordon Ryan SUB Ben Hodgkinson 0-0 1:47

Quarterfinal: Gordon Ryan SUB Tim Spriggs 3-0 7:12

Semifinal: Gordon Ryan SCORE Lucas Barbosa 3-0 15:00

Final: Gordon Ryan SUB Vinicius Ferreira 0-0 9:17