Nicky Ryan

[dmwalking]

Dude, Nicky just trains with the best no gi guys. So he's a problem for anyone in his weight class.

 

[mataleaos]

exactly this. the "methodical approach" that Danaher espouses is wildly successful. the big difference between Nicky and other teenage phenoms (or DDS guys vs other no-gi teams) is that Nicky has a simple game featuring a good basic answer for every potential problem. Based on Danaher IG pictures I've seen, this seems to come via extensive guided rolling sessions.

This.

Danaher is annoying to me but he isn't lying when he preaches that 4 systems for submission grappling can be used to build a successful platform. Attacks from the back, the front headlock, the kimura, and various ashi garamis. I've rolled with Nicky and he chains those together so well. He has a very simple game for each one of those areas and knows simple ways to connect them all together. Beyond that it's just a shit load of drilling and rolling to get down the precision and the timing.

There's no huge secret. Just a massive amount of time invested into working a process that makes sense.

I think if people did the math on the actual mat hours Nicky Ryan has they wouldn't find it as surprising. Yes he is young but he averages more training time per week than over 99% of the people that train. Not to mention this time is spent with top shelf training partners.

 

[mataleaos]

He won via RNC just this weekend.

You're exactly right. He's well rounded. He has lots of RNC and triangle wins. He tapped a 10th Planet guy with a darce last year. He tapped another 10th Planet guy (Marvin Castelle I think) with a heel hook too. Well I guess everyone knows he has good heel hooks. I've seen him armbar some people.

He's not good because he's good at heel hooks. He's good because he trains all the time with other sharks.

 

[trustdoesntrust]

This.

Danaher is annoying to me but he isn't lying when he preaches that 4 systems for submission grappling can be used to build a successful platform. Attacks from the back, the front headlock, the kimura, and various ashi garamis. I've rolled with Nicky and he chains those together so well. He has a very simple game for each one of those areas and knows simple ways to connect them all together. Beyond that it's just a shit load of drilling and rolling to get down the precision and the timing.

There's no huge secret. Just a massive amount of time invested into working a process that makes sense.

I think if people did the math on the actual mat hours Nicky Ryan has they wouldn't find it as surprising. Yes he is young but he averages more training time per week than over 99% of the people that train. Not to mention this time is spent with top shelf training partners.

this is kind of a secondary point, but i think Nicky and the rest of DDS benefit a lot from not training for IBJJF points systems. The typical lower belt phenoms I've seen tend to be really really dangerous with one technique, often something like a berimbolo or kiss of the dragon sweep (there's a purple belt at my gym who wins a lot with just bernardo faria style deep half and passing). That makes sense because if you can pull guard and sweep anybody with a wicked rdlr then you will win a lot of ibjjf matches, but the result is that your game may be very top heavy until you get a few years into black belt. A kid like Nicky isn't burdened by constantly training with a "must sweep before he sweeps me" ticking clock.

 

[mataleaos]

this is kind of a secondary point, but i think Nicky and the rest of DDS benefit a lot from not training for IBJJF points systems. The typical lower belt phenoms I've seen tend to be really really dangerous with one technique, often something like a berimbolo or kiss of the dragon sweep (there's a purple belt at my gym who wins a lot with just bernardo faria style deep half and passing). That makes sense because if you can pull guard and sweep anybody with a wicked rdlr then you will win a lot of ibjjf matches, but the result is that your game may be very top heavy until you get a few years into black belt. A kid like Nicky isn't burdened by constantly training with a "must sweep before he sweeps me" ticking clock.

Never thought about that. Really good point.

 

[DatCutman]

this is kind of a secondary point, but i think Nicky and the rest of DDS benefit a lot from not training for IBJJF points systems. The typical lower belt phenoms I've seen tend to be really really dangerous with one technique, often something like a berimbolo or kiss of the dragon sweep (there's a purple belt at my gym who wins a lot with just bernardo faria style deep half and passing). That makes sense because if you can pull guard and sweep anybody with a wicked rdlr then you will win a lot of ibjjf matches, but the result is that your game may be very top heavy until you get a few years into black belt. A kid like Nicky isn't burdened by constantly training with a "must sweep before he sweeps me" ticking clock.

I fully agree, and it's a weird issue. I don't think you can fix this mindset either, because it's supported by the rules, and the rules are in turn supported by the top teams, who are in turn supported by the IBJJF.

I would love it if the sub-only mindset becomes a new thing, mostly because I'd be interested to see the practical results of the sub-only generation going into MMA, and compare their fight results with the sweep-only BJJ generation.

 

[kjg1672]

this is kind of a secondary point, but i think Nicky and the rest of DDS benefit a lot from not training for IBJJF points systems. The typical lower belt phenoms I've seen tend to be really really dangerous with one technique, often something like a berimbolo or kiss of the dragon sweep (there's a purple belt at my gym who wins a lot with just bernardo faria style deep half and passing). That makes sense because if you can pull guard and sweep anybody with a wicked rdlr then you will win a lot of ibjjf matches, but the result is that your game may be very top heavy until you get a few years into black belt. A kid like Nicky isn't burdened by constantly training with a "must sweep before he sweeps me" ticking clock.

Interesting point, although Gordon did dominate at NoGi pan ams last month. Guess it just shows how good they are.

 

[trustdoesntrust]

I fully agree, and it's a weird issue. I don't think you can fix this mindset either, because it's supported by the rules, and the rules are in turn supported by the top teams, who are in turn supported by the IBJJF.

I would love it if the sub-only mindset becomes a new thing, mostly because I'd be interested to see the practical results of the sub-only generation going into MMA, and compare their fight results with the sweep-only BJJ generation.

"the sweep-only BJJ generation" <45>

 

[yetanother]

He's not good because he's good at heel hooks. He's good because he trains all the time with other sharks.

Heel hooks allowed him to tap grown men when he was still super young and tiny.

 

[yetanother]

yeah only thing, he just rncd tokoro at quintet 3

He is big enough to be able to rnc people now.

 

[DatCutman]

Heel hooks allowed him to tap grown men when he was still super young and tiny.

He is big enough to be able to rnc people now.

I dunno. He choked out Ricky Lule about a year ago (15?). He was big enough to anaconda choke Mike Karam a year and a half ago (14?). I think heel hooks were/are just a low hanging fruit with most grapplers. Sure, he was hitting a crap ton of heel hooks when he was young and "tiny", but when he was young and tiny was when the DDS first started unleashing heel hook hell upon people. It was the lowest hanging fruit. Hard to say if he went for leg locks because he HAD to, or because it was just the easiest path to victory.

Regardless, kid is solid. Makes me hate myself pretty regularly. Hindsight is 20/20 I guess.

 

[mataleaos]

Heel hooks allowed him to tap grown men when he was still super young and tiny.

Oh absolutely. I'm just saying I don't think he's as good as he is now because of any specific technique/s or attributes. More a product of his effort and his environment.

Believe me I agree with you. I rolled with him when he was 15 and I was a brown belt and he tapped me with an inverted heel hook and a rear naked. I didn't know who he was either at the time so my mind was pretty blown.