Legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor Marcelo Garcia is coming out of retirement to compete in ONE Championship’s ever-expanding submission grappling ranks.
The all-time great will make his long-awaited return to compete in ONE's submission grappling divisions.
Legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor Marcelo Garcia is coming out of retirement to compete in ONE Championship’s ever-expanding submission grappling ranks.
Regarded by many as the single greatest BJJ athlete in history, the 41-year-old’s return to competition marks massive news in the submission grappling and BJJ world.
The Brazilian boasts a lengthy and unmatched list of high-level accomplishments.
In gi competitions, he is a five-time IBJJF World Champion, as well as a Pan-American Champion and multiple-time Brazilian National Champion.
His accolades in no-gi are perhaps even more impressive. Garcia is a four-time winner of the prestigious ADCC World Championships. What’s more, he is a multiple-time ADCC medalist in the openweight division – an incredible feat for an athlete who competes at just 170 pounds.
Those accomplishments alone are enough to cement Garcia as an all-time great and an undeniable icon of the sport. What sets him apart, though, is his absurdly high submission rate.
His unforgettable run at the 2007 ADCC World Championships, for example, saw him submit seven of his eight world-class opponents, losing only to heavyweight competitor Robert Drysdale in the final of the openweight division.
Over the course of his illustrious career, Garcia has been an innovator of technique and is largely responsible for popularizing his style of butterfly guard, guillotine choke, and arm-drag back-takes that led him to unprecedented success.
Much to the delight of fans around the world, this decorated legend will now make his long-awaited return to action on the global stage of martial arts.