“He’s the best ever” - Lachlan Giles has nothing but praise for Marcelo Garcia ahead of ONE Fight Night 38

Lachlan Giles (L) has nothing but praise for Marcelo Garcia (R) | Image by ONE Championship
Lachlan Giles (left) has nothing but praise for Marcelo Garcia (right). [Images courtesy: ONE Championship]

BJJ royalty Lachlan Giles of Australia holds profound respect for his idol Marcelo Garcia.

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When offered the opportunity to share the ring with arguably the BJJ GOAT, the 39-year-old didn't hesitate and came out of retirement.

This dream match will commence this Friday, Dec. 5, at ONE Fight Night 38: Andrade vs. Baatarkhuu on Prime Video inside Bangkok’s fabled Lumpinee Stadium.

With four ADCC world championships and five IBJJF world titles, Garcia's resume speaks for itself.

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The 43-year-old Brazilian’s influence extends beyond his competitive success, since he also developed fundamental techniques that are being used today.

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For Giles, that alone makes ‘Marcelinho’ the pound-for-pound greatest grappler of all time.

"From a jiu-jitsu point of view, he's incredible. He's the best ever. I think you can call him the greatest of all time,” he told ONE Championship.
“You look at the people that Marcelo has beaten and how he's done it as well. His submission rate is very high. He's always been very innovative."
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Moreover, Garcia also beat stomach cancer and continued to inspire millions when he returned at ONE 170 last January and submitted Masakazu Imanari.

The submission grappling showcase at ONE Fight Night 38 streams live on Friday, Dec. 5, in U.S. primetime on Prime Video for North American audiences.

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Lachlan Giles says he's nearing prime form ahead of ONE Fight Night 38

While Lachlan Giles' skills stayed sharp in retirement, he admitted his fitness level wasn't the same as during his competitive days.

But after getting the call to duel Marcelo Garcia, the 39-year-old made the necessary preparations to ensure his cardio is up to the challenge.

“The intensity is just the enjoyable amount – showing up and doing as many rolls as makes me happy, not pushing too hard,” he said in an interview on The FloGrappling Show.
“Now with the focus on a match, I've gone back to what am I best at and how do I get sharper in that area, and building my fitness up as well.”

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Edited by Aziel Karthak
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