Nicky Rodriguez is one of the top-tier no-gi competitors in the world. He recently sat down with Demetrious Johnson and had a lot to say.
Nicky talked about a series of issues, including steroids in BJJ, his time at DDS and IBJJF tournaments, and his beef with Gordan Ryan.
Rodriguez admitted that he’s been tempted to take steroids because of the recovery they can give you. However, he said that he felt that after growing up working out in the gym, he looked better than most guys in the gym who were doing steroids.
Nicky said he didn’t realize BJJ competitors were using steroids during his first ADCC.
Rodriguez added that BJJ competitors should be tested and steroids should be illegal.
No IBJJF Trounaments For Nicky
Rodriguez was frank when asked why he no longer competes at IBJJF tournaments, “There’s no money in it.”
“There’s no money in it, I knew that early on. I only did Jiu-Jitsu so I could get paid. I mean I loved it, it was great fun and I think if I was doing anything then I’d want to be training Jiu-Jitsu,” he told Johnson.
Adding, “The IBJJF stuff is confusing because there’s really talented guys that compete there but they pay money to compete… These guys are paying money to compete, that’s not a professional program.”
Should Heel Hooks Be Banned?
During the interview, Demetrius Johson asked Nicky if heel hooks should be banned because they cause catastrophic injuries. Johnson said that he thinks they should be banned because they can injure a comparator for life and leave them with high medical bills.
Rodriguez said that he doesn’t think they should be banned but admitted that most of his submission wins that were breaks the bone broke before a person cold tap.
Nicky added that drilling leg locks would prevent injuries. He discussed how people could intelligently train leg locks in the gym by holding the submission for 3-5 seconds and slowly applying pressure so their training partner has a chance to work out and understand the position they are in.
His Thoughts On Gordan Ryan As A Grappler
Later in the interview, Nicky Rogriguez said he wants a rematch with Gordan Ryan, who he feels is still an amazing and talented grappler. He said that what makes Ryan so good is his ability to be precise, calling him a “sniper” when it comes to timing.
It was a great interview, and you can watch it here:
