If you’ve followed the meteoric rise of Gordon Ryan, you know that his game is very much a sport no-gi grappling game.

Well, that’s all about to change.

In a stunning turn of events, “King” Gordon Ryan has decided to change his heel hooking ways, and will be parting ways with Team Renzo Gracie to join Gracie Academy. In fact, he is so committed to this different way of life that he has demoted himself from black belt back to white belt, has returned to training almost exclusively in the gi, and is currently working on earning a Gracie Combatives belt.

“I guess I just realized that I am doing myself and jiu-jitsu a disservice by not entirely focusing on self-defense. And the reality is that unless I’m training in the gi, I am not doing true Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, and if I’m not doing true Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, what’s the point?” the New Jersey native said.

In an even bigger development, Gordon will be using the funds he won throughout his EBI career to open up a Level 1 Certified Training Center, which will be a rarity in New Jersey. Gordon’s new establishment will compete directly against former friends and mentors Tom DeBlass and Garry Tonon.

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“It was just the right thing to do. I spoke at length on the phone with Rener and Ryron, they told me that my black belt doesn’t really mean anything if I don’t know the Gracie Combatives program. The truth is, I can only tell you, like, 5 or 6 of the 36 Core Techniques of the Gracie Combatives program, and that’s just not enough. Leg locks are cool and everything, but none of it matters if I am not learning and teaching true Gracie jiu jitsu through the 36 core techniques of the Combatives Program.”

Gordon will immediately be vacating his titles as the EBI multi-divisional champion and is very likely going to be a no-show at Fight To Win Pro, a true loss for fans of competitive grappling.

“Competition? Pshh. I need to learn to defend against haymakers with push kicks. My jiu-jitsu is fake; it’s all smoke and mirrors. I have some commitments that my manager wants me to fulfill, but what does that matter if I don’t know the Gracie Combatives System? The leg locks that John Danaher teaches are cool and everything, but lets be real, they can’t really stand up to the Master Cycle. And if Tonon and DeBlass try to pick on me for my new life choice, I can use the Gracie Bullyproof system to defend myself and my honor.”

The competitive grappling world will miss the controversial King, but now New Jersey will have its very own Certified Training Center. “The reality is that wearing a crown was disrespectful to the royal family of jiu-jitsu, Helio Gracie and his descendants.”