While he was out of the state defeating Bo Nickal at Third Coast Grappling’s big December 7 show, Gordon Ryan’s name was added to the list of martial arts standouts in his home state. The New Jersey State Martial Arts Hall of Fame inducted the young grappling superstar alongside fifteen other honorees representing BJJ, Muay Thai, MMA, fight promotion, and wrestling. Edson Carvalho, Phil Nurse, Tim William, Jeff Lenzt, and Corey Anderson were also honored as part of the “Class of 2019”
Ryan joins names including Renzo Gracie, Rolles Gracie, Tom Deblass, Gary Tonon, Karel Pravec, Ricardo Almeida, Frankie Edgar, and Kurt Pellegrino. Designed as the Garden State’s recent balance to Boxing Hall of Fame, the state martial arts hall of fame was founded in 2012.
Ryan was born in Monroe Township, New Jersey. His jiu-jitsu career began at Brunswick BJJ, where he trained under fellow Hall of Famer and Danaher Death Squad veteran Tonon.
