In case you missed it, the Danaher Death Squad — a.k.a. the elite team of grapplers led by John Danaher and including names like Gordon Ryan, Garry Tonon, Nicky Ryan, Craig Jones, Nicky Rodriguez, Ethan Crelinsten, and more — has broken up.
The news shocked the jiu-jitsu community over the weekend, with many grappling fans and practitioners wondering what would come next for the famous athletes that made up the Squad. While not everyone has revealed their next steps, Gordon Ryan and Craig Jones have given their followers some inkling of what they plan to do next.
The elder Ryan brother shared the news that he has plans to open his own BJJ academy in Austin, Texas — a decision that is hardly surprising given Ryan’s continued involvement with Austin-based company FloGrappling. In a social media post, Ryan acknowledged that it is thus far unclear who among his teammates will be joining him.
Jones, for his part, shared that he will continue training with Rodriguez, Crelinsten, and Nicky Ryan. “The goal remains the same,” he said in a social media post, affectionately referring to the four athletes as “the B team.” Though further specifics weren’t shared by any of the four grapplers, the location of the post was also tagged as Austin, Texas.
We’ll keep you posted on further developments about where these athletes land.
