Gordon Ryan to corner Jon Jones at UFC 309
ADCC superstar Gordon Ryan will be in Jon Jones’ corner when Jones enters the octagon to defend his UFC heavyweight title Saturday night against Stipe Miocic at UFC 309, Jones’ longtime jiu-jitsu coach Roberto “Tussa” Alencar told MMA Fighting.
Alencar, who has worked on Jones’ grappling skills since 2015, is in New York to help Jones make his final adjustments before walking out for his 24th octagon appearance at UFC 309, and applauds Jones’ quest for greatness in inviting legends from every aspect of mixed martial arts.
“I’m stepping down from the corner, but Gordon will be there for the work he’s done with Jon,” Alencar said in an interview with MMA Fighting. “Gordon was a great addition to us. I’ve learned a lot from him, me being a black belt and all the experience I have, and Gordon coming from no-gi, from ADCC. He’s added a lot to Jon’s ground game, alongside with Gable Stevenson. It was great to have the two best from grappling and wrestling working with Jon.”
Ryan holds the record for most title won in ADCC history and is currently undefeated for 58 straight matches dating back to 2018. Stevenson is a three-time All-American and gold medalist at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. Jones has also worked with WBO champion Joseph Parker early in his preparation for Miocic.
“Stipe is a boxer, a wrestler, a complete fighter,” Alencar said. “We understand that and how dangerous he is. Jon knows that, and he knows to call the right people. Jon wanted to get the best in the world to train with, and that’s what makes him a champion.”
“And I think it’s going go to be good for Jon to have a champion in the corner with him,” he continued. “Gordon is in his prime, so I think it also helps his career. It adds a lot to his arsenal to use the day of the fight.”
As a classic jiu-jitsu guy, “Tussa” will always say jiu-jitsu is the ideal path to victory no matter the opponent, and it doesn’t change for UFC 309.
“He’s a wrestling guy who has some violent ground and pound to finish fights,” Alencar said of “Bones” Jones. “To tell you the truth, I wanted him to go back to what made his career and all the attention he’s had, what he was capable of doing with the ground and pound. His highlights are so devastating when he’s on the ground.
“But you can see the [Thiago Santos] ’Marreta’ fight, there was no ground. He didn’t even attempt takedowns, he wanted to challenge ‘Marreta’ and test his muay thai against him. Jon doesn’t have gameplans, he’s ready for whatever comes in all areas. It’s every element of MMA. It’s not just ground game, wrestling, striking. It’s the cage, ground and pound, the mental aspect of it. The mental factor is as important as any skill you may have as a fighter, and Jon is always prepared to have no surprises.”