Marcelo Garcia (born January 17, 1983) is a Brazilian submission grappler, a 5th degree black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and coach. A highly decorated competitor, Garcia is widely considered to be one of the greatest submission grapplers of all time, and one of the pound for pound greatest of his era. Holding 5 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship and 4 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship titles, Garcia is a member of the IBJJF Hall of Fame and the third BJJ athlete to be inducted into the ADCC Hall of Fame.
Marcelo is widely known for his innovation of various techniques such as X-Guard, arm-drags and high wrist guillotines which became popular following his success in high level completion, influencing the grappling world for the years following.
Early life Marcelo Garcia was born on 17 January 1983 in Formiga, Minas Gerais a small city in southeast Brazil. Garcia won the World Championships at all belt levels (blue, purple, brown) before receiving his black belt from Fabio Gurgel who he trained with in Sao Paulo, Brazil.
Career At K-1 HERO'S Korea 2007, Garcia made his MMA debut. He lost this against Dae Won Kim twenty seconds into the second round by doctor's stoppage, due to a cut above his eye. In September 2008, Garcia opened up a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu school in Pembroke Pines, a city in South Florida located between Miami and Fort Lauderdale. In September 2009, Garcia opened an academy in Manhattan, New York City. In November 2011, Garcia retired from competition, that same year he became the third person to be inducted into the ADCC Hall of Fame as a result of his record-setting four gold medals in his own weight division and his performances in the absolute division.
Garcia later opened the first Marcelo Garcia academy in Hawaii in 2024.
Return Garcia announced on November 11, 2024 that he had signed an exclusive contract with ONE Championship to make his return to professional grappling at one of their events.
Garcia competed against Masakazu Imanari at ONE 170 on January 24, 2025. He won the match by submission with a north-south choke.
Health On January 19, 2023, Garcia revealed that he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer and would undergo chemotherapy and surgery to remove the tumour. After months of treatment and a successful surgery, Garcia had made a recovery.
Instructor lineage Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda → Carlos Gracie Sr. → Helio Gracie → Rolls Gracie → Romero "Jacare" Cavalcanti → Fabio Gurgel → Marcelo Garcia
Championships and accomplishments Garcia has won five world championship titles in Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a black belt in the middle-weight category. He has many submission grappling titles, including the ADCC Submission Wrestling World Championship. At ADCC, Garcia has won the 66–76 kg division four times (2003/2005/2007/2011), been awarded the most technical fighter twice (2003 and 2007) and won the best fight award in 2005. In 2005, he finished in third place in the absolute (open weight) division and in 2007 finished second in the absolute division. In ADCC 2009, Garcia finished second in his weight division, losing by points to Pablo Popovitch, whom he had defeated in the two previous finals.
Grappling
2011 ADCC World Championship (-77 kg) IBJJF World Championship (-82 kg) 2010 IBJJF World Championship (-82 kg) 2009 ADCC World Championship (-77 kg) IBJJF World Championship (-82 kg) ACBJJ World Cup (Absolute) ACBJJ World Cup (-75 kg) 2007 ADCC World Championship (Absolute) ADCC World Championship (-77 kg) Grapplers Quest: Beast of the East (Superfight Tournament) IBJJF Pan American Championship (-82 kg) 2006 PSL: X-Mission Superfight Winner IBJJF World Championship (Absolute) IBJJF World Championship (-82 kg) PSL: LA-Sub Superfight Winner CBJJ Brazilian National Championship (Absolute) CBJJ Brazilian National Championship (-82 kg) 2005 Arnold Gracie Pro ADCC World Championship (Absolute) ADCC World Championship (-77 kg) 2004 Arnold Gracie Pro IBJJF World Championship (Absolute) IBJJF World Championship (-82 kg) CBJJ Brazilian National Championship (Absolute) CBJJ Brazilian National Championship (-82 kg) Campos Submission Wrestling 3 (Absolute) Campos Submission Wrestling 3 (-88 kg) 2003 ADCC World Championship (-77 kg) IBJJF World Championship (-82 kg)
Grappling record
91 Matches, 80 Wins (59 Submissions), 12 Losses (7 Submissions) Result Rec. Opponent Method Event Division Type Date LocationLoss81–12 Lachlan GilesSubmission (kneebar)ONE Fight Night 38No-GiDecember 6, 2025BangkokWin81–11 Masakazu ImanariSubmission (North-South Choke)ONE 170No-GiJanuary 25, 2025Bangkok80–11 Leo Vieira Submission (triangle choke) ADCC 2011–77 kg Nogi September 25, 2011NottinghamWin79–11 Kron Gracie Points (2–0)Win78–11 Victor Estima Submission (guillotine choke) September 24, 2011Win77–11 David Hart Submission (guillotine choke)Win76–11 Lucas Leite Points (2–0) World Jiu-Jitsu Championship –82 kg GiJune 5, 2011Long Beach, CAWin75–11 Gustavo Campos Submission (armbar)Win74–11 Victor Estima Points (3–0)Win73–11 Vitor Henrique Injury June 4, 2011Win72-11 Rylan Lizares Points (5–0)Win71–11 Claudio Calasans Points (2–0) World Jiu-Jitsu Championship –82 kg GiJune 6, 2010Long Beach, CAWin70–11 Kayron Gracie Points (5–0)Win69–11 Murilo Santana Points (8–2)Win68-11 Bruno Alves Submission (north/south choke) June 5, 2010Win67-11 Chico Mendes Submission (north/south choke)Win66–11 Lucas LeitePoints (6-0)World Jiu-Jitsu Championship–82 kgGiJune, 2009Long Beach, CALoss65–11 Braulio Estima Submission (arm-in rear naked choke) ADCC 2009AbsoluteNogi September 27, 2009BarcelonaWin65–10 Bruno Bastos Submission (rear naked choke)Loss64–10 Pablo Popovitch Points (1–3)–77 kgWin64–9 K-Taro Nakamura Submission (guillotine choke)Win63–9 Kron Gracie Submission (guillotine choke) September 26, 2009Win62–9 Rodney Ellis Submission (guillotine choke)Win61–9 Lucas Leite Points (6–0) World Jiu-Jitsu Championship –82 kg GiMay 31, 2009Long Beach, CAWin60–9 Tiago Alves Advantages (4–2)Win59–9 Nik Ruben Nikolaisen Submission (choke) May 30, 2009Loss58–9 Braulio Estima Submission (triangle choke) World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Cup Absolute Gi2009Abu DhabiWin58–8 Victor Estima Submission (choke)Win57–8 Eduardo Santoro PointsWin56–8 Elmoutti Azedine Submission (choke)Loss55–8 Michael Langhi Points (advantage) –75 kgWin55–7 Michel Maia Submission (rear naked choke)Loss54–7 Robert Drysdale Submission (darce choke) ADCC 2007 Absolute Nogi May 6, 2007Trenton, NJWin54–6 Alexandre Ferreira Submission (rear naked choke)Win53–6 Rolles GracieVerbal Submission (armlock)Win52–6 Mario MirandaSubmission (north/south choke)Win51–6 Pablo Popovitch Submission (north/south choke)–77 kg May 5, 2007Win50–6 Mike Fowler Submission (guillotine choke)Win49–6 Kurt Pellegrino Submission (rear naked choke) May 4, 2007Win48–6 George Sotiropoulos Submission (guillotine choke)Win47–6 Gregor Gracie Submission (north/south choke)Grapplers Quest Superfight Nogi February 21, 2007 Trenton, NJWin46–6 Marcos Avellan Submission (rear naked choke)Win45–6 Edson Diniz Submission (triangle armbar)Win44–6 Adriano Silva Submission (armbar) Pan American Championship –82 kg Gi 2007 Long Beach, CAWin43–6 Rodrigo Texieira Submission (armlock)Win42–6 Jake Shields Submission (guillotine choke) PSL: X-MissionSuperfight Nogi November 17, 2006 Los Angeles, CALoss41–6 Roger Gracie Submission (choke) World Jiu-Jitsu Championship AbsoluteGi2006 Rio de JaneiroWin41–5 Robert Drysdale Points (3–0)Win40–5 Thiago Gaia SubmissionWin39–5 Andre Galvao Points (2–0)–82 kgWin38–5 Daniel Moraes Disqualification (stalling)Win37–5 Murilo SantanaWin36–5 Cameron Earle Submission (north/south choke) PSL: LA Sub-XSuperfight Nogi May 26, 2006 Los Angeles, CAWin35–5 Demian Maia Points Brazilian National Championship Absolute Gi2006 Rio de JaneiroWin34–5 Andre Galvao Submission (Katahajime)Win33–5 Adriano CamolesiWin32–5 Roberto de AbreuWin31–5 Andre GalvaoPoints (6–2) –82 kgWin30–5 Gustavo CamposWin29–5 Alexandre Ribeiro Submission (rear naked choke) ADCC 2005Absolute NogiMay 29, 2005 Long Beach, CALoss28–5 Ronaldo Souza Submission (kimura)Win28–4 Diego Sanchez Submission (armbar)Win27–4 Ricco Rodriguez Submission (heel hook)Win26–4 Pablo Popovitch Submission (wristlock)–77 kgWin25–4 Leonardo Santos PointsWin24–4 Shinya Aoki Submission (rear naked choke) May 28, 2005Win23–4 Chris Brennan Technical Submission (injury)Loss22–4 Roger Gracie Points (10–2)World Jiu-Jitsu ChampionshipAbsolute Gi2004 Rio de JaneiroWin22–3 Cássio Werneck Points (9–0)Win21–3 Flávio Serafim Submission (choke)Loss20–3 Alexandre RibeiroPoints (6–0) Brazilian National ChampionshipAbsolute Gi 2004 Rio de JaneiroWin20–2 Eric Vanderlei Submission (rear naked choke)Win19–2 Marcio Corleta Submission (choke)Win18–2 Flávio Serafim Submission (armbar) –82 kgWin17–2 Felipe SimãoWin16–2 Fernando Paulon Submission (choke)Win15–2 Adriano Ribeiro Submission (armbar)Win14–2 Renato Sobral Points (6–0)Campos Submission Wrestling 3 AbsoluteNogi 2004 CamposWin13–2 Gabriel Gonzaga Points (4–0)Win12–2 Marcos Oliveira Submission (rear naked choke)Win11–2 Thales Leites Submission (rear naked choke)–88 kgWin10–2 Bruno Bastos Submission (rear naked choke)Win9–2 Leonardo Nascimento Submission (armbar)Loss8–2 Fernando Augusto Submission (triangle choke) World Jiu-Jitsu Championship –82 kg Gi2003 Rio de JaneiroWin8–1 Garcia BritoSubmission (rear naked choke)Loss7–1 Marcio Pe De Pano Points (6–0) ADCC 2003Absolute Nogi May 18, 2003 São PauloWin7–0 Mike Van Arsdale Submission (rear naked choke)Win6–0 Otto Olsen Submission (rear naked choke)–77 kgWin5–0 Vítor Ribeiro Submission (rear naked choke)Win4–0 Renzo Gracie Points (9–0) May 17, 2003Win3–0 Kiuma Kunioku Submission (rear naked chokeWin2–0 Fábio Negão Nascimento Submission (rear naked choke) Ubatuba–77 kg Nogi 2002 UbatubaWin1–0 Adriano Pires Submission (rear naked choke)
Mixed martial arts record
| Loss |align=center|0–1 |Kim Dae-Won |TKO (cut) |Hero's 2007 | |align=center|2 |align=center|0:20 |Seoul, South Korea |
See also AJ Agazarm Herbert Burns Hannette Staack
References