Cody Garbrandt reveals that he was once in such a dark place that he almost committed suicide.
Garbrandt has achieved a lot in his young mixed martial arts career. He was the first man to dethrone Dominick Cruz under the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) banner to become the bantamweight champion. He has headlined two UFC events and is the owner of one “Fight of the Night” bonus and one “Performance of the Night” bonus. With a record of 11-2 and at the age of 27, “No Love” appears to have plenty of time left in his fighting career. None of this would’ve been possible if Garbrandt hadn’t gotten the support he needed from his older brother.
Cody Garbrandt Reveals His Brother Saved Him From Suicide Attempt
Before Garbrandt even stepped inside the cage, he went through some struggles growing up. “No Love” found himself in a dark enough place to where he was ready to commit suicide. He told “I Am Second” that his brother saved his life (via MMAJunkie.com):
“There’s a part of the story where Zach came and intervened in my life, where I wanted to give up. I was a teenager. I think I was a senior in high school. I wanted to become a state champion again. I won state as a freshman, I got beat as a sophomore, I was injured as a junior. Wrestling was something I did my whole entire life, and I think losing the passion for that, I didn’t have any drive. I just felt unaccomplished, and I got in with the wrong crowd and started doing some drugs and partying and kind of living super carelessly, and it almost consumed my life. I felt like my road was running to an end.
“For a while, I wasn’t who I was. I was in a very dark place, a very very dark place, and almost hung myself. And my brother came in the door, and he saved my life. It’s the first time I’m talking about it, but I’ve never been more grateful for him. He just came in and busted down the door and gave me the biggest hug and sat there with me and cried with me and said everything was going to be all right. That was the day that, you know, really was a changing point for me and my life, as well.”
Garbrandt overcame his demons to become one of the most fierce bantamweights the sport has seen. His only two losses as a professional are to T.J. Dillashaw. Stick with MMA News for the latest updates on Garbrandt’s fighting future.
If you or someone you know needs help, contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255