Marcelo Garcia (born January 17, 1983) is a Brazilian submission grappler and a 4th degree black belt Brazilian jiu-jitsu practitioner and coach. A highly decorated competitor, Garcia is widely considered to be one of the best grapplers in the world and arguably the best pound for pound submission grappler. [2] Holding 5 World Jiu-Jitsu Championship and 4 ADCC Submission Fighting World Championship titles, [3] 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 Garcia was born on 17 January 1983 in Formiga, Minas Gerais a small city in southeast Brazil. [1] 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. [4]
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. [5]
Garcia later opened the first Marcelo Garcia academy in Hawaii in 2024. [6]
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. [7]
Garcia will compete against Masakazu Imanari at ONE 170 on January 24, 2025. [8]
On January 19, 2023, Garcia revealed that he had been diagnosed with stomach cancer and would undergo chemotherapy and surgery to remove the tumour. [9] After months of treatment and a successful surgery, Garcia had made a recovery. [10]
Mitsuyo "Count Koma" Maeda → Carlos Gracie Sr. → Helio Gracie → Rolls Gracie → Romero "Jacare" Cavalcanti → Fabio Gurgel → Marcelo Garcia [1]
Garcia has won five world championship titles in Brazilian jiu-jitsu as a black belt in the middle-weight category. [11] 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), [12] [13] [14] 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. [15] [16] 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.
91 Matches, 80 Wins (59 Submissions), 11 Losses (6 Submissions) | ||||||||
Result | Rec. | Opponent | Method | Event | Division | Type | Date | Location |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Win | 80–11 | Leo Vieira | Submission (triangle choke) | ADCC 2011 | –77 kg | Nogi | September 25, 2011 | Nottingham |
Win | 79–11 | Kron Gracie | Points (2–0) | |||||
Win | 78–11 | Victor Estima | Submission (guillotine choke) | September 24, 2011 | ||||
Win | 77–11 | David Hart | Submission (guillotine choke) | |||||
Win | 76–11 | Lucas Leite | Points (2–0) | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | –82 kg | Gi | June 5, 2011 | Long Beach, CA |
Win | 75–11 | Gustavo Campos | Submission (armbar) | |||||
Win | 74–11 | Victor Estima | Points (3–0) | |||||
Win | 73–11 | Vitor Henrique | Injury | June 4, 2011 | ||||
Win | 72-11 | Rylan Lizares | Points (5–0) | |||||
Win | 71–11 | Claudio Calasans | Points (2–0) | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | –82 kg | Gi | June 6, 2010 | Long Beach, CA |
Win | 70–11 | Kayron Gracie | Points (5–0) | |||||
Win | 69–11 | Murilo Santana | Points (8–2) | |||||
Win | 68-11 | Bruno Alves | Submission (north/south choke) | June 5, 2010 | ||||
Win | 67-11 | Chico Mendes | Submission (north/south choke) | |||||
Win | 66–11 | Lucas Leite | Points (6-0) | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | –82 kg | Gi | June, 2009 | Long Beach, CA |
Loss | 65–11 | Braulio Estima | Submission (arm-in rear naked choke) | ADCC 2009 | Absolute | Nogi | September 27, 2009 | Barcelona |
Win | 65–10 | Bruno Bastos | Submission (rear naked choke) | |||||
Loss | 64–10 | Pablo Popovitch | Points (1–3) | –77 kg | ||||
Win | 64–9 | K-Taro Nakamura | Submission (guillotine choke) | |||||
Win | 63–9 | Kron Gracie | Submission (guillotine choke) | September 26, 2009 | ||||
Win | 62–9 | Rodney Ellis | Submission (guillotine choke) | |||||
Win | 61–9 | Lucas Leite | Points (6–0) | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | –82 kg | Gi | May 31, 2009 | Long Beach, CA |
Win | 60–9 | Tiago Alves | Advantages (4–2) | |||||
Win | 59–9 | Nik Ruben Nikolaisen | Submission (choke) | May 30, 2009 | ||||
Loss | 58–9 | Braulio Estima | Submission (triangle choke) | World Professional Jiu-Jitsu Cup | Absolute | Gi | 2009 | Abu Dhabi |
Win | 58–8 | Victor Estima | Submission (choke) | |||||
Win | 57–8 | Eduardo Santoro | Points | |||||
Win | 56–8 | Elmoutti Azedine | Submission (choke) | |||||
Loss | 55–8 | Michael Langhi | Points (advantage) | –75 kg | ||||
Win | 55–7 | Michel Maia | Submission (rear naked choke) | |||||
Loss | 54–7 | Robert Drysdale | Submission (darce choke) | ADCC 2007 | Absolute | Nogi | May 6, 2007 | Trenton, NJ |
Win | 54–6 | Alexandre Ferreira | Submission (rear naked choke) | |||||
Win | 53–6 | Rolles Gracie | Verbal Submission (armlock) | |||||
Win | 52–6 | Mario Miranda | Submission (north/south choke) | |||||
Win | 51–6 | Pablo Popovitch | Submission (north/south choke) | –77 kg | May 5, 2007 | |||
Win | 50–6 | Mike Fowler | Submission (guillotine choke) | |||||
Win | 49–6 | Kurt Pellegrino | Submission (rear naked choke) | May 4, 2007 | ||||
Win | 48–6 | George Sotiropoulos | Submission (guillotine choke) | |||||
Win | 47–6 | Gregor Gracie | Submission (north/south choke) | Grapplers Quest | Superfight | Nogi | February 21, 2007 | Trenton, NJ |
Win | 46–6 | Marcos Avellan | Submission (rear naked choke) | |||||
Win | 45–6 | Edson Diniz | Submission (triangle armbar) | |||||
Win | 44–6 | Adriano Silva | Submission (armbar) | Pan American Championship | –82 kg | Gi | 2007 | Long Beach, CA |
Win | 43–6 | Rodrigo Texieira | Submission (armlock) | |||||
Win | 42–6 | Jake Shields | Submission (guillotine choke) | PSL: X-Mission | Superfight | Nogi | November 17, 2006 | Los Angeles, CA |
Loss | 41–6 | Roger Gracie | Submission (choke) | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | Absolute | Gi | 2006 | Rio de Janeiro |
Win | 41–5 | Robert Drysdale | Points (3–0) | |||||
Win | 40–5 | Thiago Gaia | Submission | |||||
Win | 39–5 | Andre Galvao | Points (2–0) | –82 kg | ||||
Win | 38–5 | Daniel Moraes | Disqualification (stalling) | |||||
Win | 37–5 | Murilo Santana | ||||||
Win | 36–5 | Cameron Earle | Submission (north/south choke) | PSL: LA Sub-X | Superfight | Nogi | May 26, 2006 | Los Angeles, CA |
Win | 35–5 | Demian Maia | Points | Brazilian National Championship | Absolute | Gi | 2006 | Rio de Janeiro |
Win | 34–5 | Andre Galvao | Submission (Katahajime) | |||||
Win | 33–5 | Adriano Camolesi | ||||||
Win | 32–5 | Roberto de Abreu | ||||||
Win | 31–5 | Andre Galvao | Points (6–2) | –82 kg | ||||
Win | 30–5 | Gustavo Campos | ||||||
Win | 29–5 | Alexandre Ribeiro | Submission (rear naked choke) | ADCC 2005 | Absolute | Nogi | May 29, 2005 | Long Beach, CA |
Loss | 28–5 | Ronaldo Souza | Submission (kimura) | |||||
Win | 28–4 | Diego Sanchez | Submission (armbar) | |||||
Win | 27–4 | Ricco Rodriguez | Submission (heel hook) | |||||
Win | 26–4 | Pablo Popovitch | Submission (wristlock) | –77 kg | ||||
Win | 25–4 | Leonardo Santos | Points | |||||
Win | 24–4 | Shinya Aoki | Submission (rear naked choke) | May 28, 2005 | ||||
Win | 23–4 | Chris Brennan | Technical Submission (injury) | |||||
Loss | 22–4 | Roger Gracie | Points (10–2) | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | Absolute | Gi | 2004 | Rio de Janeiro |
Win | 22–3 | Cássio Werneck | Points (9–0) | |||||
Win | 21–3 | Flávio Serafim | Submission (choke) | |||||
Loss | 20–3 | Alexandre Ribeiro | Points (6–0) | Brazilian National Championship | Absolute | Gi | 2004 | Rio de Janeiro |
Win | 20–2 | Eric Vanderlei | Submission (rear naked choke) | |||||
Win | 19–2 | Marcio Corleta | Submission (choke) | |||||
Win | 18–2 | Flávio Serafim | Submission (armbar) | –82 kg | ||||
Win | 17–2 | Felipe Simão | ||||||
Win | 16–2 | Fernando Paulon | Submission (choke) | |||||
Win | 15–2 | Adriano Ribeiro | Submission (armbar) | |||||
Win | 14–2 | Renato Sobral | Points (6–0) | Campos Submission Wrestling 3 | Absolute | Nogi | 2004 | Campos |
Win | 13–2 | Gabriel Gonzaga | Points (4–0) | |||||
Win | 12–2 | Marcos Oliveira | Submission (rear naked choke) | |||||
Win | 11–2 | Thales Leites | Submission (rear naked choke) | –88 kg | ||||
Win | 10–2 | Bruno Bastos | Submission (rear naked choke) | |||||
Win | 9–2 | Leonardo Nascimento | Submission (armbar) | |||||
Loss | 8–2 | Fernando Augusto | Submission (triangle choke) | World Jiu-Jitsu Championship | –82 kg | Gi | 2003 | Rio de Janeiro |
Win | 8–1 | Garcia Brito | Submission (rear naked choke) | |||||
Loss | 7–1 | Marcio Cruz | Points (6–0) | ADCC 2003 | Absolute | Nogi | May 18, 2003 | São Paulo |
Win | 7–0 | Mike Van Arsdale | Submission (rear naked choke) | |||||
Win | 6–0 | Otto Olsen | Submission (rear naked choke) | –77 kg | ||||
Win | 5–0 | Vítor Ribeiro | Submission (rear naked choke) | |||||
Win | 4–0 | Renzo Gracie | Points (9–0) | May 17, 2003 | ||||
Win | 3–0 | Kiuma Kunioku | Submission (rear naked choke | |||||
Win | 2–0 | Fábio Negão Nascimento | Submission (rear naked choke) | Ubatuba | –77 kg | Nogi | 2002 | Ubatuba |
Win | 1–0 | Adriano Pires | Submission (rear naked choke) |
1 match | 0 wins | 1 loss |
By knockout | 0 | 1 |
Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Loss | 0–1 | Kim Dae-Won | TKO (cut) | Hero's 2007 | October 28, 2007 | 2 | 0:20 | Seoul, South Korea |
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