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Masakazu Imanari finds himself in a difficult spot heading into his submission grappling return at ONE 170.
On one hand, the Japanese legend has got a huge opportunity on deck to compete in a high-profile contest against a returning icon and a promotional newcomer.
The counter point to this matchup is that it leaves the 48-year old in the role of playing the spoiler to the grappling return of multi-time Brazilian jiu-jitsu world champion Marcelo Garcia.
Garcia is a beloved figure in grappling and seeing him make his return to competition is a special moment for BJJ fans around the world.
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Though Imanari is incredibly grateful to be his opponent for this massive moment, he did acknowledge that it comes with some downsides that even he is able to recognise.
He will put this to the side on Jan. 24 when they lock up at the Impact Arena in Bangkok, Thailand. But it has been a slightly different experience than he is used to in the past.
During the pre-event press conference, Masakazu Imanari reflected on what it is like to welcome back such a highly respected competitor whilst assuming the role of the underdog:
"Yes, I completely understand the feeling of fighting a hero as a villain, because I'm also a fan of him."
Masakazu Imanari will approach this contest the same as any other
Both Masakazu Imanari and Marcelo Garcia may have respect for one another but that doesn't mean that they won't be competitive with one another.
There's certainly a mutual appreciation here but both men will still want to get their arms raised in their openweight submission grappling fixture when all is said and done.
This is especially important for Imanari, who, despite being a fan of Garcia, cannot afford to be a passenger in his opponent's big comeback moment.
The matchup was put together for a reason and that's because ONE Championship and grappling fans want to see what happens when they collide.
ONE 170 will be available via watch.onefc.com
