Legendary submission wizard Marcelo Garcia is returning to action.
Garcia revealed Wednesday on Uncrowned’s “The Ariel Helwani Show” that he’s stepping back into active competition for the first time since 2011 when he takes on a fellow legend Masakazu Imanari in a 10-minute, one-round, openweight affair for ONE Championship on Jan. 24 in Thailand’s Impact Arena.
Garcia turns 42 one week before his return match and having overcome a recent battle with stomach cancer, which he beat in 2022. He left the sport to focus on coaching while riding a 15-match winning streak. From 2003 to 2011, Garcia won 20 gold medals across several world championship tournaments.
Having gone against the best of the best throughout both of their careers, Imanari welcoming Garcia to ONE Championship is a battle of legitimate grappling icons. However, Garcia revealed Wednesday that he was originally in discussions to take on another submission legend, Shinya Aoki, instead.
“It was definitely supposed to be Shinya Aoki,” Garcia said. “It took a long time to organize the contract, to go over all the stuff. He end up signing with another opponent. I believe it’s going to be a good fight.
“Just from the names I’ve competed against before, I never really choose opponents. I never really thought about my opponents. I just want to have that feeling to just be out there again.”
Imanari, 48, has been going strong in combat sports since his debut in September 2000. Primarily focused on his MMA career (40-22-2), Imanari — the inventor of the famed Imanari roll — most recently fought in February when he submitted Kazumasa Majima via second-round armbar under the RIZIN banner. He’s competed in ONE Championship’s grappling division against notable names like Mikey Musumeci.
It’s no secret what Imanari brings to the table — he’s a master of leg attacks.
Garcia is prepared for the matchup and doesn’t plan to make it his last.
“I believe [I’m going] to do a lot more after this one,” Garcia said.
“I just want to be a part of this. I don’t want to leave that behind. I still feel like I have age, I have desire, I feel good in my body.”
