ONE 170 results and recap: Marcelo Garcia vs Masakazu Imanari

BJJ legend Marcelo Garcia returned to the mat for the first time in over a decade, making his ONE Championship debut at ONE 170 inside the iconic Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand. Squaring off against the multi-time IBJJF and ADCC world champion on martial arts’ biggest global stage was Japanese MMA sensation Masakazu Imanari.

Round 1: Garcia pressures immediately and looks for an early single leg against the cage wall. Garcia gets Imanari down to the mat and gets into Imanari’s half-guard. Garcia does a good job of keeping Imanari away from the cage. Imanari is put into defensive mode early as Garcia looks to pass. Imanari triangle’s Garcias left leg, but the Brazilian fights his way out of the Imanari’s grip and passes to side control.

Garcia goes knee-to-belly, perhaps looking to mount. Garcia instead moves into north-south before quickly moving back-side control and sliding into the mount. Garcia looks to lock in an arm triangle choke, but Imanari is defending well. Garcia goes back to side control before locking in a choke from the north-south position. Imanari defends for as long as he can, but before long, he’s forced to tap out.

ONE 170 - Marcelo Garcia vs. Masakazu Imanari Official Result

Garcia was understandably emotional following his first BJJ match in 13 years. After overcoming stomach cancer, Garcia stressed to everyone in the crowd and those watching at home to never give up and to always follow their dreams, no matter how hard things may get in life.

As for what’s next, Garcia hopes to face another Japanese MMA legend inside the Circle this year — Shinya Aoki.

Official Result: Marcelo Garcia def. Masakazu Imanari via submission (north-south choke) at 4:49 (submission grappling - openweight)