Marcelo Garcia, a legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu competitor, will come of retirement in January 2025 to compete in ONE Championship’s submission grappling competitors.
Regarded by many as the one best BJJ athlete in historical past, the 41-year-old’s return to competitors after a bout with abdomen Most cancers.
In talking with MMA Preventing forward of his return, Garcia addressed a scorching subject within the sport of submission grappling: steroid use. On the heart of the main target is arguably essentially the most proficient and embellished no-gi competitor, Gordon Ryan.
“He’s on the high proper now, however it’s onerous to say he’s the best of all-time,” Garcia advised MMA Preventing. “I don’t wish to be a hypocrite right here. I do know I’ve finished rather a lot. I’ve finished rather a lot being the scale I’m, 170 kilos, and going through the perfect in my weight class and absolutely the, guys that had been larger than me, and imagining that many individuals had been utilizing steroids. And I think about a lot of this new era on the market are utilizing steroids.”
Ryan is a seven-time ADCC Submission wrestling world champion, three-time IBJJF No-Gi World champion and a four-time Eddie Bravo Invitational champion.
“If he continues to compete and nobody beats him, and continues to have the performances he’s placing on, you possibly can’t say [he’s not the GOAT],” Garcia stated. “And he’s younger, too, after all he could be that man. However I can say all I’ve finished was steroid-free. I don’t know that’s the case with Gordon [laughs]. To me, that’s a decisive level, if somebody wanted further assist or not. Like individuals say, ‘that particular person didn’t come alone’ [to compete]. I used to be alone each single time, solely with my coaching and my method. And when individuals say, ‘Oh, however everyone makes use of it.’ To not me. That excuse doesn’t make sense to me.
“And that’s one of many explanation why I’m coming again to combating as a result of I wish to show you don’t want that. And the way can we show that? To me, if somebody has used [steroids] as soon as, he’s already contaminated. You’ve cheated the sport. I’ve to defend that as a result of that’s the way it at all times was for me. I want the younger ones — my youngsters, if sooner or later they determine to compete and achieve success, I don’t need them to rely on that.”
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