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BJJ Icon Marcelo Garcia Returns After 13 Years, Submits Masakazu Imanari at ONE 170

"Marcelinho" dominated Imanari in their submission grappling match in Bangkok.
Drew Beaupre|
(ONE Championship)

Brazilian jiu-jitsu legend Marcelo Garcia returned to competition for the first time since 2011 when he met Masazaku Imanari at ONE 170.

Garcia Makes ONE Championship Debut In Bangkok

A member of both the ADCC and IBJJF Halls of Fame, Garcia's last competitive grappling match was a submission-win over Leo Viera to close out his 2011 ADCC Championship run in the under 77 kg division.

(Exclusive) BJJ Legend Marcelo Garcia on Comeback Match & Future Plans after ONE 170

The 42-year-old was quick to note ahead of ONE 170 that he never formally retired from grappling and wanted to dedicate more time to teaching after winning ADCC again in 2011, however personal tragedy also struck two years later when his wife gave birth to premature twins and their son sadly passed away.

A stomach cancer diagnosis in 2023 looked to have ended any chance of Garcia competing again, but after undergoing treatment and making a full recovery the Brazilian signed with ONE Championship in late 2024.

Matched up with another huge name in leg lock specialist and 64-fight MMA veteran Imanari, Garcia quickly pressured his opponent to the fence before grabbing a single leg to bring things to the mat and start working from half guard.

"Marcelinho" continued working to improve his position and eventually established side control on Imanari before moving into mount, where Garcia briefly threatened a submission but decided to move to north-south position and finally forced a tap to secure his first win in more than 13 years.

ONE 170 Free Live Stream Results & Highlights – Tawanchai vs. Superbon 2

Garcia's family was attendance at ONE 170 and his children got to see their father showcase his incredible skills in a competitive match for the first time, and after the victory the grappling icon indicated that he'd love to get a matchup with Shinya Aoki booked as soon as possible.

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Drew Beaupre
DREW BEAUPRE

Drew is an MMA writer that regularly watches regional events in addition to major promotions such as the UFC, PFL, Bellator, and ONE Championship. He joined MMA Knockout when it was founded in 2023.

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