Cody Garbrandt wants to make a statement in the flyweight division.
Originally, the former UFC Bantamweight Champion announced his move over to 125-pound division back in April; however, Garbrandt ultimately made his return in a bantamweight bout against Raphael Assunção at UFC 250. The 29-year-old managed to win via knockout.
However, despite his recent bantamweight bout, Garbrandt remains dead set on jumping down to the flyweight division and is confident that he’ll win the prestigious belt in no time:
“As far as I know, I don’t have a contract in hand,” Garbrandt said in ESPN interview. “We’re trying to wait on that with Ali and Dana and Sean and Mick. I’ve actually been vocal about going to 125 for quite some time now. We spoke about it in the past before the Assuncao fight. I feel like it’s great. I’m able to do it now still early in my career. I just turned 29. I’m able to go to 125, challenge, and win that title there. (Then,) I’ll go back up to 135 pounds and compete with the best of them there.”
Garbrandt hasn’t ruled out a return to the bantamweight division, with the Ohio native open to working both divisions simultaneously:
“The sports always evolving so you’ve got to evolve with it,” Garbrandt said. “I have a head coach. I have an offensive coordinator. I’ve got a defensive coordinator. I have every place set up, every coach set up for what I need to reach my goals and my dreams. They’re along for the ride helping me out through the whole process.
“… I think I’ll be able to reign that division for a while – and simultaneously go through bantamweight and do the same. I’m very excited for those tasks at hand and those opportunities to be a two-time, two-weight champ.”
In terms of a potential fight against UFC Flyweight Champion Deiveson Figueiredo, Garbrandt views the current champ as a tough fighter; however, Garbrandt feels that he has all the tools to beat Figueiredo:
“I think he’s a great fighter,” Garbrandt said. “He’s tough. Everyone is tough in the UFC. He has a lot of holes I’ll be able to tackle and see. Joe hurt him a lot in the first fight. He’s got good submission skills, good jiu-jitsu, but my wrestling and jiu-jitsu (are) probably overlooked a lot of the time because I never have to use (them).
“I feel very confident wherever the fight goes. I can dictate the pace or where I want to put it. I think he gasses a lot. I’ve been in 25-minute fights with some of the best in the world so I feel like my gas tank and cardio and conditioning will never be a problem for me.”