Cody Garbrandt Discusses Timeline For Next Bout, Who he Wants to Scrap

Following his stoppage loss to Pedro Munhoz back in March, in which he took some injuries, Cody Garbrandt’s hoping to fight later this year.

The former bantamweight champ attended UFC Sacramento this past weekend, and while doing so, Garbrandt spoke with the media. During the session, the 28-year-old revealed that he’s been cleared to fight again (quotes via MMA Fighting).

“I’m feeling great,” Garbrandt said. “I’m looking forward to a November return. I just got cleared. I ended up tearing my hand. I tore my tendon in my wrist so that was a pretty extensive injury in the [Pedro] Munhoz fight. I don’t know what happened in there. We were in a little bit of a gun battle and it just didn’t heal.

“I know I’m way better than these guys but I sometime go to their level when I bang it out. But when I stick to my skills, my speed, when I do what I’ve done to become a world champion, no one can match me…

The loss to Munhoz was Garbrandt’s third in a row, as he had dropped back-to-back bouts to the now suspended, T.J. Dillashaw. So when and who is Garbrandt hoping to fight next?

“November I’d like to return and anyone in the top five can get it. I like all those fights. Dominick Cruz, that would be a fun rematch. He hasn’t fought since I beat him and he’s had a lot of injuries. Raphael Assuncao. There’s that Russian kid [Petr Yan], I forget his name now. There’s so many dudes that I’d like to fight at the top. I truly believe I’m the best in the world.”

All three of those fights sound good no? Since Assuncao is ranked #3, however, his team might not want to take a bout with Garbrandt, who is currently sitting in the #7 position. Yan is #4, so, his camp might be looking up in the ranks as well for an opponent. Here’s hoping that’s wrong, however, as Garbrandt – Yan has must see written all over it.

Cruz is also ranked higher than Garbrandt at #6, but, due to his decision loss to “No Love” in 2016, one would think he’d be keen to run it back. As a result of the shoulder injury Cruz incurred last December, however, it seems unlikely the legendary bantamweight will be ready to return by November.