After a 15-year hiatus, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend Marcelo Garcia has announced his return to competition – signing with ONE Championship.

In a recent interview with ONE FC, the 41-year-old shared the key factor behind his choice: feeling appreciated for his contributions to the sport:

I just like to be appreciated.
I spent so much time in Jiu-Jitsu. In competition.

I feel I always have given my best, and I feel like the appreciation from ONE Championship came at the right time.
They value me. They value my time.

His connection with ONE’s Vice President of Submission Grappling, Leo Vieira, also played a significant role in his decision.
Vieira, a close friend and longtime figure in the grappling community, provided a personal touch in persuading Garcia to join the promotion:

And reality is I can name every organization that was trying to convince me to go compete.
But then ONE, especially with Leozinho, Leo Vieira is somebody that is close to me, close to my family. He came in for us.

For Garcia, returning to competition wasn’t just about the opportunity.
It was also about joining an organization that respects its athletes:

If I wanna come back, I need to come back to an organization that values my work, that values my time, that appreciates the athlete.
And that’s what I felt with ONE.

 

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