Nicky Rod calls out Gordon Ryan to a $2 million grappling match

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As a seasoned gamer who’s spent countless hours immersed in the world of grappling, I’ve witnessed some epic battles between titans like Nicky “Rod” Rodriguez and Gordon Ryan. The recent $1 million win at the Craig Jones Invitational by Rod has certainly added fuel to their long-standing rivalry.

On a Saturday evening, Nicky “Rod” Rodriguez pocketed $1 million as the victor in the over 80kg category at the inaugural Craig Jones Invitational tournament. Following his triumph, during which he tapped out all four of his opponents across a span of two days, Rodriguez challenged his longtime rival Gordon Ryan, who was participating nearby at ADCC.

Rodriguez declared during the CJI broadcast, “Two million dollars is even more appealing than one million, in my opinion.” He then proposed a challenge to Mr. Gordon Ryan: “Since I firmly believe that I’m the top grappler on Earth, let’s put our money where our mouth is. Let’s make it a winner-takes-all match, with each of us putting up one million dollars. Who’s ready for this?”

Nicky Rod calls out Gordon Ryan after winning $1 million at CJI

For quite some time, Rodriguez has been criticizing Ryan, even during their appearances on the UFC Fight Pass Invitational shows. Notably, they’ve previously faced each other twice; first under the ADCC banner where Ryan submitted Rodriguez to claim victory in the tournament. Their second encounter was a UFC Fight Pass Invitational bout that ended with Ryan winning by achieving the quickest escape time.

On Saturday, Ryan engaged in a fierce match against Felipe Pena and emerged victorious. He is set for another contest on the same day. Earlier, he had mentioned that due to health concerns, he wouldn’t compete anywhere except ADCC.

As a passionate grappling enthusiast, I’ve always admired both the ADCC and CJI platforms. Personally, I believe the creation of CJI was a powerful response to the pay issue in ADCC. Both Gordon and Rodriguez have graced these arenas with their skills. A match between them wouldn’t just be about money or a victory; it could symbolize which grappling league truly boasts the finest competitors.

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2024-08-18 22:13