Cody Garbrandt sees a path to becoming a two-weight-division champion starting with a victory over Rob Font at UFC Vegas 27.
Cody Garbrandt (12-3) looks to face Rob Font (18-4) this weekend inside of the UFC APEX in Las Vegas. Both men are ranked in the bantamweight top five, which makes the bout a potential title eliminator. It certainly is in the eyes of Garbrandt, who sees a win at UFC Vegas 27 potentially opening doors to title aspirations at both bantamweight and flyweight.
“I’m looking at being a two-time weight division champion,” Garbrandt said at UFC Vegas 27 media day on Wednesday. “That’s my goal. I know we have a little bit of a circus act up front with Aljamain and Yan, they have to run that back. Aljamain just had neck surgery, so that’s going to be prolonged for a little bit. I feel like this fight right here is a title eliminator, so I finish Rob on Saturday, I have options. I have options, too, at bantamweight and be next in line for that – it works out perfect for me.”
Garbrandt was set to face the current UFC flyweight champion Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 255 back in November but was forced to withdraw after suffering from COVID-19. The former bantamweight champion believes once Figueiredo vs. Moreno flyweight title rematch is done, he could possibly fight for the flyweight title next whilst he waits for his bantamweight title shot, provided that both Figueiredo and Moreno come out in one piece and are injury-free.
“You look back at November and with COVID and the things it took away from my life, but it set me up better with more opportunities. I win this fight on Saturday, I can be next in line for a bantamweight title shot, then (Figueiredo) and (Moreno) fight a few weeks after me. … Hopefully no one gets injured in there, they can come out unscathed, and we can make that fight happen sooner than later. That’s the perfect world, but a lot of things go on with that.”
As Garbrandt mentioned, there are a lot of moving parts to come together for that to happen, but that would be the ideal scenario for the American: beat Font this Saturday, fight for the flyweight title, and then challenge for the bantamweight title after that.
Currently ranked #4 in the UFC rankings, Garbrandt has not fought since UFC 250 back in June last year when he knocked out Raphael Assuncao with a stunning one punch highlight reel KO of the Brazilian. Prior to the win, Garbrandt was at a crossroads in his career after suffering three consecutive losses, all by KO/TKO in 2017, 2018 and 2019 to T.J. Dillashaw twice and Pedro Munhoz.
It has been quite a fall from grace for “No Love” after winning the bantamweight title back in 2016 when he defeated one of the greatest bantamweights of all time in Dominick Cruz in one of the most impressive UFC title wins in history at UFC 207. Garbrandt is hoping a win over Font this weekend will lead to him regaining UFC gold once again.
Do you see Garbrandt becoming a two weight division champion in both bantamweight and flyweight?
