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Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioners know how hard it is to get clamped down by an opponent with a tight half-guard.
Now imagine being inside the guard of one of the deadliest leg-lock specialists in the world, Masakazu Imanari. Then again, Marcelo Garcia calmly showcased how to bypass this death trap using patience, skill, and godly fight IQ.
The 42-year-old legend ended his retirement at ONE 170 last January, where he submitted the Japanese grappling icon with a scintillating north-south choke.
Garcia completely dominated the match from start to finish, beginning his assault with a beautiful single-leg takedown and some high-level top pressure.
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One highlight that may have fallen through the cracks was Garcia's incredible guard passing, particularly when he broke through Imanari's famed half-guard lockdown.
ONE Championship recently shared a clip of the textbook pass, much to the amazement of grappling fans across the world:
Marcelo Garcia's signature pressure passing was on full display in this sequence, using his right shoulder to put constant strain on his hapless foe.
Once he had Imanari straightened out flat on his back, Garcia performed some technical leg pummeling, using his right leg to pry open the guard and transition to knee on belly.
It was pretty much a wrap from there on, as the ADCC and IBJJF Hall of Famer got to work from mount and added another entry to his highlight reel.
Who’s next for Marcelo Garcia in ONE Championship?
ONE Championship also seemingly teased a possible return for Marcelo Garcia on its socials.
"BJJ brilliance! 🌟 Who's next for grappling icon Marcelo Garcia?"
According to earlier reports, the Brazilian grappling royalty was initially pegged to take on fellow icon Shinya Aoki in his ONE debut.
Retirement talks surrounded 'Tobikan Judan' following his ONE 172 victory over rival Eduard Folayang last March. However, the 41-year-old never confirmed his desire to hang 'em up, leaving a window open for this legend vs legend all-grappling war.
Rewatch Marcelo Garcia vs Masakazu Imanari, here:
