Marcelo Garcia eyes 'dominant performance' against Masakazu Imanari at ONE 170: "I have a plan"

At ONE 170, Marcelo Garcia is set to make an incredible return to submission grappling.

The 41-year-old is considered to be one of the greatest to ever do it, even if he never decided to make a comeback.

In 2011, the Brazilian decided to take a step back from competing on the world's stage, having already accomplished so much in his career.

He now believes that it is the right time to get back in there after such a long hiatus from competing under the spotlight.

Garcia is excited to join the ONE Championship ranks and for his debut, he will look to put on a show at one of the biggest events of 2025.

On January 24, the promotion returns to the Impact Arena in Bangkok for a stacked card.

Amongst the other top attractions, Garcia will face fellow grappling legend Masakazu Imanari in a dream clash that no one could have seen coming.

The returning legend spoke in a recent interview on The Ariel Helwani Show about his expectations for the contest:

"When I say not know what's going to happen, like I have a plan. I really know something happening. I really plan to get a submission, and get a dominant performance. I hope I can display a very exciting match."

Watch the full interview below:

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Marcelo Garcia wants to make a statement

There are a lot of submission grappling fans that have not watched Marcelo Garcia compete live before.

His legendary status is already assured, but the sport has come such a long way in recent years, and the veteran is excited to be a part of that.

On January 24, he wants to remind people what he is capable of even after all these years.

Garcia hopes to prove that he's still an elite competitor in his field.