"The time is now" - BJJ icon Marcelo Garcia on decision to resume legendary career ahead of debut at ONE 170

Marcelo Garcia is one of the greatest of all time to ever tie a belt around his Gi and step onto the mats.

There will be a lot of combat sports fans that came to martial arts and heard all about the Brazilians incredible accomplishments. Those members of the audience will now get the opportunity to watch Garcia compete live once again when he makes his long awaited return to competition.

At ONE 170 on Jan. 24, he will face off with Masakazu Imanari at the Impact Arena in Bangkok in a clash of grappling icons.

Marcelo Garcia initially decided to hit the pause on competition for several reasons. He had already accomplished so much, and with other priorities like his young family and growing his gym, he decided that something had to give.

However, this eventually led him to the decision that with his gym well established and his family a bit older, it was the right time to make a return.

He spoke about this during a recent interview on The Ariel Helwani Show after announcing his comeback:

"I don't know if we can get any older, but obviously we're not getting any younger. So I feel like this time is now since I still have that feeling."

---

Marcelo Garcia knew when the time was right

This return wasn't something that Marcelo Garcia really had to push through or force into reality.

He has spent such a long time away from competition that when the moment to return felt right, he decided to make it happen.

What makes his comeback even more impressive and noteworthy is his battle with stomach cancer that he overcame in 2023, which kept him off the mats for good.

After making a full recovery, he isn't just back doing what he does best, he's ready to step under the spotlight once again.