"I don't want to be limited" - Marcelo Garcia open to competing in all forms of submission grappling in return

Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) icon Marcelo Garcia has competed in both gi and no-gi rules tournaments in his many years of competition, and many fans wonder which of the two categories he prefers engaging in.

The 42-year-old answered that exact question during an interview on JitsMagazine's JitsCast podcast, which was posted on YouTube. Garcia said:

"I enjoy both equally because I don't want to be limited to gi or no-gi for when I compete. Even when I compete for one or the other, I still train both. I feel it's important for me to be prepared and be sharp in both. I can't leave one side on the side. Even if I enjoy one more than the other."

Watch the entire interview below:

The debate about whether gi or no-gi is better has been a heated one due to the clash of tradition versus modern practicality. However, Garcia's drive to be a master in both categories shows they have their own place in BJJ.

The four-time ADCC World Championships gold medalist will look to back up his words when he stars in a legend-versus-legend openweight submission grappling matchup with Masakazu Imanari at ONE 170 on Jan. 24, inside the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand.

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Marcelo Garcia promises ONE 170 clash will not be a one-off for him

Marcelo Garcia stepped away from active competition to focus on being a family man since 2011. Some ONE fans wonder whether his clash with 'Ashikan-Judan' will be his lone outing in the world's largest martial arts promotion.

Speaking recently with renowned combat sports journalist Ariel Helwani, the Brazilian allayed such concerns, saying:

"No, [this is not going to be my] last match. I don't have those plans. I intend to do a lot more after this."

Watch the entire interview here: