Nicky Ryan will step up and take on his toughest test to date when he faces Dante Leon on July 17. 

Labeled a prodigy since his mid-teens, Ryan's carved out a name for himself and is no longer just Gordon's little brother. A two-time ADCC veteran, Ryan's ascendency through the 170lb / 77kg ranks (from #8 at the end of 2020 to #4 today) marks him out as a true contender in the division. He's beaten opponents as diverse as 10th Planet black belt and former D1 wrestler PJ Barch to American National no-gi champ Gabriel Almeida. 

Yet do these accomplishments mean he deserves to be the favorite against #2-ranked Dante Leon? 

The 26-year-old Canadian Dante Leon, now based in Ohio, fought through to the third place match at the 2019 ADCC World Championship, notably beating veteran technician Lucas Lepri along the way. A physically imposing and dynamic athlete known as one of the strongest pound-for-pound grapplers in all of jiu-jitsu, Leon is a No-Gi World champion and a seasoned veteran. Nicky is very aware of all of the above. 

"Dante’s been on a roll this past year and this will for sure the toughest test of my career yet," says Ryan. "With that being said I’m going out there to make a point and prove that I’m truly a world class competitor who will do some damage at the next ADCC."

Nicky Ryan's game now integrates more wrestling attacks

Ryan just turned 20 years old on June 21. He has made a big jump both physically and technically over the last year, filling out his frame and developing an attacking style of jiu-jitsu less focused on the legs and with more emphasis on wrestling up and gaining top position. Training alongside top wrestlers in Ohio, Dante is known for his gritty wrestling ability and is not easy to take (or hold) down. 

"He’s definitely improved all around and more specifically his passing and wrestling," says Dante. "He wrestles up well and looks very comfortable on top against tough guard players. Regardless, ADCC rules will test him and force him to be outside of his comfort zone."

The last time either Leon or Ryan competed under ADCC rules was in September 2019. Ryan has more experience under the ruleset– he competed twice in the World Championships, with one match in 2017 and two matches in 2019. He also won the ADCC West Coast Trials in 2019, finishing five matches all by submission. This experience is a factor Ryan is counting on as he devises his strategy to beat Leon. 

"You can expect a very similar approach to my last match especially since you are penalized for pulling guard under ADCC finals rules. I’m looking to come out, put him down, and find my way to his back for the finish."

Dante Leon has competed exclusively no-gi since 2019

Dante is not fazed by Ryan's pedigree, recent performances or position as the favorite. He's the +200 underdog in this match, but is confident in his ability to push Nicky in ways other opponents have not. 

"My work rate, experience along with my physicality and intelligence will all play huge factors in this match," says Dante. "I believe I have all the tools to expose him physically and technically. As this is a one-off match, I expect him to be extremely prepared and a tough test, but 20 minutes is a long time. No matter how prepared or how technical he is, he will be brought to his limit physically and mentally, upon which I will capitalize."

Watch Nicky Ryan vs Dante Leon go head-to-head on July 17 at Road to ADCC.