Ryan Gruhn

Ryan James Gruhn (born July 22, 1982) is an American Martial Artist, MMA Coach, Dog Brother and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt.

Ryan Gruhn
Ryan Gruhn with Erik Paulson and Danny Suarez
Born	July 22, 1982 State College, Pennsylvania, United States
Other names	"Guard Dog"
Nationality	American
Height	6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight	170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Division	Welterweight
Style	Muay Thai, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Dog Brothers
Team	CPAMMA
Teacher(s)	Chai Sirisute, Erik Paulson, Marc Denny, Bill Gebhardt
Rank	Black Belt/Professor in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Erik Paulson / Rigan Machado   Black Arm Band/Ajarn in Muay Thai under Chai Sirisute   Black Dog Tag/Guro in Dog Brothers under Marc Denny   Black Belt/Full Instructor in Youth Martial Arts
Occupation	MMA Coach
University	Penn State University
Notable students	Phil Davis, Ed Ruth, Patrick Cummins, Paul Bradley Jimy Hettes, Charlie Brenneman

Ryan Gruhn

Medal record
Representing  United States
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Kasai Elite Grappling Championships
	2017 New York City, USA	Black Belt Ultra Heavy
NAGA
	2019 Albany, New York, USA	Black Belt Light Heavy
NAGA
	2020 Albany, New York, USA	Black Belt Light Heavy

Personal life

Gruhn was born in State College, Pennsylvania and attended State College Area High School. He went to Penn State University where he studied Business.

Martial arts

History

Gruhn began his martial arts training at the age of six in Tae Kwan Do and started studying the Striking Arts (Muay Thai & Boxing), Grappling Arts (Submission Wrestling & Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu) and Weapons Arts (Kali/Escrima/Silat/Arnis) at the age of twelve with Dan Inosanto, Erik Paulson and Surachai Sirisute. Ryan is best known for his fighting in Dog Brothers Gatherings.[1] He has fought both nationally and internationally [2] in Real Contact Stick Fighting events since 2005.

Gruhn is a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Black Belt under MMA pioneer and fifth Degree Black Belt; Erik Paulson. Other notable instructors of Ryan's include Surachai Sirisute (Muay Thai) and Marc Denny "Crafty Dog" (Dog Brothers Martial Arts / Filipino Martial Arts).

Gruhn is the only person to simultaneously hold the title of “Ajarn” in Muay Thai (Black Arm Band), “Guro” in Dog Brothers Martial Arts (Black Dog Tag) and "Professor" in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (Black Belt). He was also the first ever to earn the rank of "Black Dog Tag" in Dog Brothers Martial Arts.

Dog Brothers

Gruhn is part of the Dog Brothers[3][4] who put on semi-annual Real Contact Stick Fighting events in Los Angeles, California, Canada and Europe. He has been part of several documentaries including "Dog Brothers Reality Show" by Discovery Channel,[5] "Fight Club, No Limits" by National Geographic Channel[6] and "Dog Brothers Cruel Combat" InDemand [7] which aired on the Comcast Network.

Ryan is considered a "Full Dog Brother" which he earned by fighting in the Dog Brothers Gatherings in both Toronto, Canada and Los Angeles, California. He earned the name of "Guard Dog" in February 27, 2012 at the First Annual Canadian Gathering held in Toronto, Canada.[8]

Coaching

Gruhn coached professional fighters; Phil Davis (UFC/Bellator), Ed Ruth (Bellator), Patrick Cummins (UFC), Paul Bradley (WSOF) and Jimy Hettes (UFC) when they trained in State College, PA at the defunct Lion Heart Fighters gym and at current Central PA Mixed Martial Arts. Gruhn's students have won titles in Muay Thai, MMA and Golden Gloves Boxing along with fighting in Real Contact Stick Fighting and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Gruhn coached Phil Davis and Ed Ruth while training at Central PA Mixed Martial Arts[9][10] ahead of Bellator 186 on November 4 at the Bryce Jordan Center.[11][12]

Stick fighting events

Country	Date	Event	Location	Notes
	February 2012	Canadian Open	Toronto, Canada	Received "Guard Dog"
	October 2011	BTCOOC	Toronto, Canada
	October 2010	BTCOOC	Toronto, Canada
	September 2009	US Open	Los Angeles, California	Received "C-Guard Dog"
	April 2009	Tribal Gathering	Temecula, California
	April 2008	Tribal Gathering	San Juan Capistrano/Temecula, California
	November 2007	US Open	Los Angeles, California
	November 2006	US Open	Los Angeles, California	Received "Dog"
	November 2005	US Open	Los Angeles, California
	October 2005	MD Open	Baltimore, Maryland	1st Place

Grappling record

3 Matches, 3 (2 Submission(s)), 1 Losses , 0 Draws
Result	Rec.	Opponent	Method	Event	Division	Type	Year	Location
Win	2–1–0	Robert Smith	Submission (Inverted Estima Lock)	NAGA	Black Belt	Gi	March 7, 2020	Albany, NY
Win	1–1–0	Paul Elliott	Submission (Americana)	NAGA	Black Belt	Gi	March 2, 2019	Albany, NY
Loss	0–1–0	Amalie McKee	Submission (Arm Bar)	KASAI	Black Belt	Gi	October 21, 2017	New York, NY

Lineages

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

• Kano Jigoro → Tomita Tsunejirō & Mitsuyo Maeda → Carlos Gracie Sr. & Hélio Gracie → Rolls Gracie & Carlos "Carlinhos" Gracie Jr → Rigan Machado & Erik Paulson

Dog Brothers Martial Arts

• Dan Inosanto → Marc Denny

Jeet Kune Do/Filipino Martial Arts

• Bruce Lee → Dan Inosanto

Muay Thai

• Chai Sirisute

Television, podcasts and DVDs

In 2017 Gruhn partnered up with Radio Personality, Jerry Valeri for a Podcast called "Coach and the Comic" available on iTunes.[13] Coach and the Comic Podcast has had professional fighters, Jiu-Jitsu Black Belts and numerous other Martial Arts related people.

• "Dog Brothers Reality Show" Discovery Channel[5]
• "Fight Club, No Limits" National Geographic Channel[6]
• "Dog Brothers Cruel Combat" InDemand [7] on the Comcast Network.
• "Die Less Often 1" Dog Brothers[14]
• "A Gathering of the Pack 2"[15]

News

In 2010 Gruhn relocated Central PA Mixed Martial Arts (CPAMMA) to South Atherton St. in State College, PA[16] In 2014 Gruhn relocated CPAMMA to its current location on West College Ave in State College, PA[17][18] which is a 10,000 square foot facility with a Boxing Ring, MMA Octagon, and 5,000 square feet of mats.[19] CPAMMA has hosted seminars with athletes such as Cael Sanderson and Cody Sanderson.[20]

On October 21, 2017 Gruhn competed and won the silver medal in the Kasai Elite Grappling Championships.[21] While he originally went to coach his Jiu-Jitsu team from Central PA Mixed Martial Arts, one of his students was left without a match. Instead of leaving her without a match, Gruhn stepped up and competed against her, earning a silver medal in the Ultra heavy Black Belt division.[22] This made headlines as his student was a female white belt who he lost to. [23] [24] [25] [26] [27]

On November 2, 2017 Central PA Mixed Martial Arts hosted ADCC Champion Gordon Ryan for a seminar. Gordon Ryan accused Gruhn of filming him with his cell phone. [28]

On March 2, 2019 Gruhn won Gold at North American Grappling Association in Albany, NY at the expert/Black Belt level. [29]

On March 4, 2019 Gruhn was featured in Town & Gown Magazine. [30]

References

1. "Guro Guard Dog (Ryan Gruhn) | Dog Brothers Martial Arts Association". dogbrothers.com. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
2. Central PA Mixed Martial Arts (2016-04-12), Fight, retrieved 2017-02-19
3. "Dog Brothers Martial Arts Association | Walk As A Warrior For All Your Days". dogbrothers.com. Retrieved 2017-09-08.
4. "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for Stick Fighting | Dog Brothers Martial Arts Association". dogbrothers.com. Retrieved 2017-09-08.
5. gongbody (2006-05-30), stick fighting reality promo, retrieved 2017-02-19
6. Tonfa Toshiro (2015-03-16), Dog Brothers documentary (made by NatGeo), retrieved 2017-02-19
7. Stickgrappler. "Dog Brothers on Pay-Per-View Monday, October 18, 2010". www.stickgrappler.net. Retrieved 2017-02-19.
8. "Ryan Gruhn". Central PA Mixed Martial Arts. 2016-07-19. Retrieved 2017-09-18.
9. "Former Penn State wrestlers Phil Davis, Ed Ruth excited to return to alma mater for Bellator 186". centredaily. Retrieved 2017-09-01.
10. "Ryan Grühn". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2017-09-01.
11. "BELLATOR 186 | Bryce Jordan Center". bjc.psu.edu. Retrieved 2017-09-01.
12. "Q&A: Ed Ruth returns to University Park, looks to school Chris Dempsey - Fighters Only". Fighters Only. 2017-10-27. Retrieved 2018-03-16.
13. "Coach and the Comic Podcast by Coach and the Comic Podcast on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts. Retrieved 2017-09-04.
14. "Die Less Often 1". Gumroad. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
15. "A Gathering of the Pack 2". Gumroad. Retrieved 2017-02-27.
16. "State College, PA - Martial Arts Studio Expanding, Has Much Bigger Plans -". www.statecollege.com. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
17. "CPAMMA hosts open women's sparring, draws community fighters". centredaily. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
18. Collegian, Matt Guerry | The Daily. "Penn State students learn an unorthodox lesson in discipline at Central PA MMA". The Daily Collegian. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
19. "About". Central PA Mixed Martial Arts. 2015-06-17. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
20. "Cael Sanderson To Host The 'Cael & Cody Wrestling Seminar' During Blue-White Weekend | Onward State". Onward State. 2017-04-10. Retrieved 2018-03-15.
21. "KASAI Presents: The Elite Grappling Championships". Kasai Grappling. 2017-07-08. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
22. "Smoothcomp". Smoothcomp. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
23. "Jiu-Jitsu Times". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
24. canaria, kitt (2017-10-25). "Rather Than Leave A White Belt With An Empty Weight Class, This Black Belt Stepped Up And Gave Her A Match". Jiu-Jitsu Times. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
25. "White Belt Brazilian Jiu Jitsu". www.facebook.com. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
26. "Black Belt Male Loses To Female White Belt". White Belt Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. 2017-10-24. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
27. "Female BJJ White Belt defeats Male BJJ BLACK BELT | BJJ World". BJJ World. 2017-10-25. Retrieved 2018-02-05.
28. Clements, Averi (2017-11-03). "Instructor Accused Of Filming Gordon Ryan Seminar Gives His Side Of The Story". Jiu-Jitsu Times. Retrieved 2018-01-22.
29. "Smoothcomp". Smoothcomp. Retrieved 2019-03-08.
30. "State College, PA - Martial arts classes gain in popularity in Centre County as they teach life skills -". www.statecollege.com. Retrieved 2019-03-08.