Marcelo Garcia, a brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend known for defeating larger and heavier opponents despite weighing only 77 kilograms, is making his return to competition under the ONE Championship banner. This comes over a decade after his last competitive match, as the grappling icon stepped away from the mats to battle cancer. Garcia, who has always been vocal about his commitment to clean sports, revealed that he never turned to steroids, a decision shaped by his dedication to health after witnessing his mother’s fight with illness.
In an interview with MMA Fighting, Garcia explained why he believes Gordon Ryan, often touted as the greatest grappler of all time, still has more to prove. Garcia’s skepticism stems, in part, from his strong opposition to performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), which he suspects Ryan might have used.
Garcia’s competitive resume speaks for itself, with four ADCC gold medals and five IBJJF World Championship titles earned as a black belt between 2003 and 2011. Now, at 42 years old, Garcia is set to face Masakazu Imanari on January 24, marking his long-awaited return to the mats.
During the interview, Garcia emphasized that time is the ultimate measure for Ryan to solidify his place in grappling history.
“Only time will tell if Gordon belongs in the conversation as the greatest,” Garcia stated. While Ryan, a protégé of John Danaher, has remained unbeaten for nearly six years—a streak that includes 56 wins and two draws—Garcia remains cautious about accepting him as the GOAT due to differing views on PED usage in the sport.
“He’s on top right now, but it’s hard to call him the greatest of all time,” Garcia explained. “I don’t want to be hypocritical. I’ve achieved a lot in this sport, weighing 77 kilograms, facing the best in my division and in the absolute category against much larger opponents. I’ve done it knowing that many were likely using steroids. I suspect this is true for much of the new generation as well.”
Ryan, in a recent UFC media day, defended his stance on PEDs, pointing out the inconsistencies in regulation across different organizations. “The problem is that if one organization makes PEDs illegal, but all the others I compete in allow them, I have to stay clean year-round for just that one organization,” Ryan said.
Garcia, however, stands firm in his beliefs. “If he keeps competing, stays undefeated, and continues performing at this level, it’s hard to deny him that title,” Garcia admitted. “He’s young and has the potential to be that guy. But I can say that everything I accomplished was steroid-free. I don’t know if the same can be said for Gordon,” he added with a laugh. “For me, that’s a key point. If someone needed extra help, they’ve already tainted the game.”
Garcia also expressed his desire to prove that success can be achieved without PEDs, using his return as an opportunity to stand by this principle. “For me, if someone used [steroids] even once, they’ve cheated the game. I’ve got to defend this stance because that’s how I’ve always approached the sport.”
The grappling legend’s return comes just weeks after celebrating his 42nd birthday and defeating stomach cancer. Garcia shared that his experience with cancer, as well as losing his adoptive mother to the same illness, profoundly shaped his perspective on health and steroids.
“I lost my mom to stomach cancer,” Garcia said. “It wasn’t connected to mine because I was adopted, but I’ve experienced cancer before. When I was young, someone told me that using steroids or HGH could increase cancer risk. That was enough for me to say, ‘Why risk it?’ I lost my mom at a young age and had to face cancer myself. I don’t want anything that could harm my health or my family. That’s why I’ll defend this to the end. I’ve succeeded in both my division and the absolute without needing steroids.”
