- Gordon Ryan has teased a full Octopus Guard counter project, after previously saying he’d break it down for free on YouTube.
- The latest Gordon Ryan Octopus Guard tease frames it as “systematically dismantling” the position (and other “low percentage” moves), with a YouTube sneak peek and a release tied to BJJ Fanatics.
- Craig Jones’ Octopus Guard 2.0 reportedly cleared major early sales numbers — and he says $30,000 of that revenue has already gone to charity.
- The rivalry angle is obvious, but the bigger story might be what instructional money is doing in modern No-Gi.
Gordon Ryan Octopus Guard: From “Free YouTube” Promise To A Full Counter-Instructional
This started the way a lot of modern grappling “meta wars” start: one guy drops a system, it catches fire, and the other guy publicly decides he’s going to build the extinguisher.
Back on January 5, 2026, Gordon Ryan said he was going to put out a free YouTube breakdown aimed at shutting down the overback grip from bottom side control — the key connection most people associate with Octopus Guard-style attacks.
“Gonna make a YouTube video on how to easily shut down an overback grip from bottom side control, or ‘octopus guard.’ Seeing as crooked Creg hit this move 0/9487 times on me in training or competition and also can’t coach any of his athletes to hit it in competition, I think I’m qualified. It’ll be free on my YouTube soon :)”
– Gordon Ryan (Instagram) –
Fast-forward to the newest tease, and the vibe has shifted from “quick free breakdown” to something that looks a lot more like a full product rollout: Ryan has promoted a “sneak peak” on YouTube while describing a larger release as “coming soon” through BJJ Fanatics, framed as a systematic dismantling of the position (and more).
That’s the key pivot. Gordon Ryan Octopus Guard isn’t just a clapback anymore — it’s being positioned as the next entry in the never-ending cycle of technique → instructional → counter-instructional.
Craig Jones’ $30,000 Donation Changes The Story
If this was only about two elite grapplers arguing about who “invented” what and who can shut it down, it would still do numbers — but Craig Jones poured gasoline on the story in a totally different way.
On January 27, 2026, Jones announced a $30,000 donation to 1800RESPECT, a crisis support service. The donation was described as 10% of revenue from Octopus Guard 2.0, tied to the instructional’s early sales window.
“Help is available. Speak with someone today,”
– Craig Jones (Instagram) –
Jones also shared that the instructional generated roughly $300,000 in gross sales over a short early run, with the donation coordinated through BJJ Fanatics and with help from Mayra Wojcik (a social worker connected to the B-Team circle).
That charity angle matters because it reframes the whole “instructional arms race.” It’s not just who wins the technique debate — it’s how big the ecosystem has become, and what athletes can choose to do with that money once the sales start stacking.
Why Octopus Guard 2.0 Triggered An “Arms Race”
Octopus Guard has always been annoying in the exact way that makes something spread: it turns a miserable position (bottom side control) into a situation where the bottom player can threaten the back, disrupt pressure, and create movement off a tight connection.
Even if you’ve never watched an instructional on it, you’ve probably felt a version of it: the passer settles in, the bottom player clamps an overback grip, and suddenly your “safe” side control starts sliding into a scramble you didn’t ask for.
Jones’ update — Octopus Guard 2.0 — reportedly blew past 2,000 copies sold in 48 hours, which is the kind of number that instantly turns a niche trend into a full-on league-wide problem.
At that point, it’s not just Craig teaching it — it’s every blue belt in your room trying it, every coach fielding questions about it, and every top competitor deciding whether they need a response before it shows up in their next camp.
That’s where Gordon Ryan Octopus Guard becomes a clickable headline and a real technical storyline at the same time: it’s the most famous “pressure-first” technician in the sport publicly committing to a counter, right as the position hits peak popularity.
There are two timelines running in parallel here.
Timeline one is technical: can the overback-based attacks keep evolving past the obvious counters, and does the “2.0” version already account for the shut-down routes Ryan is showing?
Timeline two is business: once a move becomes a product category, the incentives change. A hot instructional creates demand, the counter creates demand, then everyone ends up studying both — not because they love drama, but because they hate getting stuck in bad positions.
That’s why this particular rivalry works. Jones sells the system. Ryan sells the response. The community buys both to survive the next roll.
And Craig Jones $30000 donation adds a third layer: this isn’t just internet trolling or technique sniping — it’s proof that the instructional economy is big enough now to fund meaningful contributions outside the sport.
Whether Ryan’s upcoming release lands as a surgical anti-Octopus blueprint or just the opening move in the next counter-counter cycle, one thing is already clear: Gordon Ryan Octopus Guard is no longer just a technique conversation — it’s the latest example of how fast No-Gi trends become content, products, and culture.
