Marcelo Garcia reveals why he wanted to face Lachlan Giles: “I want to test myself”

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu legend Marcelo Garcia faces Australian innovator Lachlan Giles in lightweight submission grappling at ONE Fight Night 38 on Friday, December 5, inside Lumpinee Stadium in Bangkok, Thailand.

The 43-year-old captured four ADCC World Championships and five IBJJF World Titles with an unmatched finishing instinct. In doing so, he cemented his status as arguably the sport’s greatest competitor.

Those competition days seemed over when Garcia was diagnosed with stomach cancer in 2023. But he ultimately overcame the life-threatening ailment by year’s end. His comeback at ONE 170 this past January ended a 13-year hiatus when he submitted Masakazu Imanari via north-south choke. The win earned him a $50,000 performance bonus.

When it came time to book his second appearance, there was one name that immediately piqued his interest. Giles first caught Garcia’s attention at the 2019 ADCC World Championships, where the Australian produced one of the sport’s most magical runs. Weighing just 77 kilograms, the Giant Killer submitted three hulking heavyweights with his signature inside heel hook to earn bronze in the openweight category.

Garcia watched in awe as pristine technique trumped sheer size. From that moment, he wondered what it would be like to test himself against the Melbourne native. Years passed before fate brought the two legends together.

“I was backstage the first time Lachlan competed at ADCC, and he displayed amazing submissions in the absolute [division] that day. He displayed such amazing jiu-jitsu against some really big guys. Seeing someone [like him] who competes in my division, who is the same size as me, that made me feel like I want to test myself against someone who showed such beautiful jiu-jitsu,” he said.

Marcelo Garcia carries renewed purpose into legend versus legend showdown

When Marcelo Garcia discussed his next match with ONE Championship Vice President of Grappling Tom DeBlass, he already had a name in mind. Once the contract was signed, the overwhelming fan reaction stunned him. Garcia feels reborn in his life and career. At this stage, his motivations have evolved. He fights for everyone who supported him through cancer, his comeback, and his legendary career.

“I didn’t realize all the people were expecting to see this match. I didn’t know that. That made me more inspired to go against him because I didn’t know people were looking [forward] to this match,” he said.

“I want to go in there and give everything I have. Every time I go to compete, I don’t want to disappoint everybody who wants to see me compete. It’s not about winning or losing. I want to go over there and show how hard I fight, how hard I believe in jiu-jitsu.”