Cody Garbrandt

Garbrandt started quickly, but Yañez changed the exchange with counter right hands. Punches from both hands dropped Garbrandt and ended the bout at 2:47 of round one.

Key moments

• Garbrandt started the fight quickly.
• Yañez changed the exchange with counter right hands.
• Punches from both hands dropped Garbrandt and forced the stoppage at 2:47.

A bizarre fight in which Xiao Long was docked two points in round three for repeated low blows — one left Garbrandt retching mid-cage. Garbrandt recovered to take 28-27 cards across the board.

Key moments

• A competitive striking battle early.
• Repeated groin strikes by Xiao Long.
• A two-point deduction in round three.
• Garbrandt pot-shotted his way to the decision.

Garbrandt out-struck Barcelos in round one but faded; low output over the final two rounds let Barcelos take the cards 29-28 across the board for the biggest win of his career.

Key moments

• A strong opening round for Garbrandt.
• Activity dropped over rounds two and three.
• Barcelos took over down the stretch.
• Unanimous decision against Garbrandt.

Figueiredo took Garbrandt's back early in round two, worked an arm-triangle from mount and then secured a body-triangle and rear-naked choke for the tap.

Key moments

• Figueiredo ducked under to the back.
• Mount and arm-triangle pressure.
• A second back-take with a body triangle.
• Rear-naked choke finish at 4:02.

A walk-off one-punch knockout with a perfectly timed right hand — Garbrandt's first finish since 2020 and the start of brief back-to-back wins.

Key moments

• A timed counter right hand.
• Kelleher dropped face-first.
• A walk-off finish, no follow-up needed.
• His first finish since 2020.

A return to form: Garbrandt out-struck Jones and mixed in grappling, including two round-two takedowns and a brief rear-naked choke attempt, to snap a skid.

Key moments

• Cleaner striking throughout.
• Two takedowns in round two.
• A brief rear-naked choke threat.
• Snapped a losing skid.

Garbrandt's flyweight debut ended in a first-round TKO after Kara-France dropped him twice with right hands. A brief takedown bought Garbrandt time, but Kara-France finished with ground strikes before referee Herb Dean intervened.

Key moments

• Garbrandt's first and only fight at flyweight.
• Kara-France dropped him twice with right hands in the first round.
• A takedown by Garbrandt briefly delayed the finish.
• Kara-France's second straight first-round stoppage — a statement win in the flyweight division.

Font out-boxed Garbrandt over five rounds, controlling the pace with a sharp jab and right straight. Garbrandt attempted early takedowns but could not sustain the effort, and Font's dominance was reflected in two 50-45 scorecards alongside a closer 48-47.

Key moments

• Font controlled the distance with a persistent jab throughout.
• Garbrandt tried takedowns early but couldn't sustain the pressure.
• Font bled Garbrandt with clean combinations over the championship rounds.
• Two judges scored it 50-45 — a dominant margin on the cards.

With one second left in round two, Garbrandt landed a perfect straight right that knocked Assunção out cold at the buzzer — a contender for Knockout of the Year and a stunning end to a three-fight losing skid. Garbrandt had spent the round working calf kicks before detonating the punch.

Key moments

• Garbrandt entered on a three-fight knockout losing streak.
• He mixed in calf kicks and feints to set up openings in round two.
• The knockout punch landed with one second remaining in the round.
• Assunção was knocked cold at the horn in one of the year's most dramatic finishes.

A wild first-round slug fest that ended with Garbrandt's third straight knockout defeat. After trading hard shots — including a monstrous knee from Garbrandt — Munhoz landed a flush right cross that dropped Garbrandt, then followed with finishing punches with nine seconds remaining in the round.

Key moments

• Both fighters traded hard right crosses in an explosive opener.
• An accidental head butt briefly floored Garbrandt early.
• Garbrandt responded with a monstrous knee to Munhoz's face.
• Munhoz's right hand dropped Garbrandt and he finished on the ground — Garbrandt's third straight KO loss.

The bantamweight title rematch played out in familiar fashion: Garbrandt wobbled Dillashaw early with a hook, but over-eagerness left him open and Dillashaw dropped him twice before finishing with a knee against the cage. The fight was stopped at 4:17 of round one, with Dillashaw retaining the belt.

Key moments

• Garbrandt landed an early hook that visibly staggered Dillashaw.
• Over-commitment on a big hook left Garbrandt open to Dillashaw's counter.
• Dillashaw dropped Garbrandt twice before finishing with a knee to the face against the cage.
• Dillashaw retained the bantamweight title — Garbrandt's second straight first-round KO loss.

Garbrandt lost his bantamweight title in a wild two-round fight at Madison Square Garden. He controlled round one and dropped Dillashaw, nearly finishing — but Dillashaw survived and stormed back in round two, stopping the champion with a left head kick and follow-up strikes.

Key moments

• Garbrandt knocked down Dillashaw late in round one and almost finished him.
• Dillashaw recovered between rounds and came out in round two with urgency.
• A left kick to the head staggered Garbrandt, setting up the TKO finish.
• Dillashaw reclaimed the bantamweight belt — Garbrandt's first career defeat.

Garbrandt became UFC bantamweight champion with a dominant five-round performance over the great Dominick Cruz, out-moving and out-boxing the champion with precision and power. He dropped Cruz multiple times — four times in round four alone — and won on all three judges' cards to complete an unbeaten run to the title.

Key moments

• Garbrandt matched Cruz's footwork and head movement from the opening bell.
• Dropped Cruz multiple times, including four knockdowns in round four.
• Taunted Cruz after a knockdown in round four — a flash-point moment of the fight.
• Won 48-46, 48-46, 48-47 to become the 135-pound champion, undefeated at 11-0.

A blistering 48-second finish that announced Garbrandt as a legitimate title contender. After Mizugaki landed early kicks, Garbrandt countered with a sharp combination that dropped him, then swarmed with left hands to force the stoppage. After the fight he called out champion Dominick Cruz, who was in the building.

Key moments

• Mizugaki opened with low kicks but was quickly countered.
• A step-in right hand from Garbrandt dropped Mizugaki.
• Left-hand follow-up strikes forced the referee stoppage at 0:48.
• Garbrandt publicly called out Dominick Cruz from the cage immediately after — the title shot was set.

Garbrandt headlined for the first time and delivered emphatically, knocking out the previously undefeated Brazilian prospect Thomas Almeida inside three minutes. A left hook staggered Almeida early, then two right hands finished the job and hammer fists followed until referee John McCarthy stepped in.

Key moments

• The bout matched two unbeaten bantamweight prospects headlining in Las Vegas.
• A left hook mid-round staggered Almeida and opened the finish sequence.
• Two consecutive right hands put Almeida down for the stoppage at 2:53.
• Garbrandt's sixth first-round finish — Almeida's first career loss.

Garbrandt took a late-replacement opponent — Mendes accepted on six days notice at catchweight — and delivered another first-round TKO in Pittsburgh. He avoided a guillotine attempt when Mendes pulled guard, then landed a left hook and right cross combination that dropped Mendes before the stoppage.

Key moments

• Original opponent John Lineker withdrew with illness less than a week out.
• Mendes, a BJJ black belt, pulled guard and briefly threatened a guillotine.
• A left hook and right cross combination dropped Mendes for the TKO finish.
• Garbrandt moved to 8-0 with seven stoppages — his UFC record stood at 3-0.

Garbrandt's second UFC fight went the full three rounds for the first time in his career — a sign that Briones, riding an eight-fight winning streak, was a durable opponent. Garbrandt took the unanimous decision at the MGM Grand but was frustrated not to finish, later noting he had Briones hurt and didn't pull the trigger.

Key moments

• Briones came in on an eight-fight winning streak and proved durable.
• The first time in Garbrandt's career a fight went to the judges.
• Garbrandt landed the cleaner shots but couldn't convert when Briones was hurt.
• A unanimous decision win on the UFC 189 prelim card kept him unbeaten at 7-0.

Garbrandt made his UFC debut against the experienced Marcus Brimage and earned a third-round TKO, fighting for a Fight of the Night bonus in his promotional introduction. After a right hand caught Brimage flush, Garbrandt swarmed and a final vicious strike slumped Brimage against the cage with ten seconds remaining in the round.

Key moments

• UFC debut on the Jones vs. Cormier card at UFC 182.
• Went three rounds — the fight earned a Fight of the Night bonus.
• A right hand caught Brimage flush to spark the finish sequence.
• TKO at 4:50 of round three, with Herb Dean stopping the bout.

Garbrandt defended the NAAFS bantamweight title against Stanford in Canton, Ohio, stopping him in the first round. The win was his fifth consecutive finish and kept him unbeaten on the regional circuit ahead of his UFC signing.

Key moments

• A regional title defence in Garbrandt's home state of Ohio.
• Fifth consecutive finish — all five wins came by knockout or TKO.
• The performance helped secure his UFC contract shortly after.
• First-round stoppage at 1:37, consistent with his pattern of quick finishes.

Garbrandt won the Pinnacle FC bantamweight title with a first-round TKO over James Porter in Pittsburgh. The win was his fourth straight knockout finish and established him as the standout prospect in the regional Pennsylvania MMA scene.

Key moments

• Pinnacle FC bantamweight title fight in Pittsburgh.
• Fourth consecutive first-round knockout finish.
• TKO stoppage at 2:17 of round one.
• The Pinnacle FC title win accelerated his path to a UFC deal.

Garbrandt stopped the previously undefeated Dominic Mazzotta in the second round with punches in a regionally-promoted bout. The highlight-reel TKO at 0:32 of round two added to his growing reputation as a heavy-handed finisher on the Ohio and Pennsylvania regional circuit.

Key moments

• Mazzotta entered the fight undefeated.
• Garbrandt secured the TKO stoppage at just 0:32 of round two.
• Third professional win, all by knockout or TKO.
• Part of a string of regional finishes that built his pre-UFC reputation.

Garbrandt returned from a near-year-long layoff and showed no rust, stopping Shane Manley in the first round at Iceoplex in Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. The finish was another punch-based stoppage, extending his knockout streak on the regional circuit.

Key moments

• Returned from a near-year layoff without showing any ring rust.
• First-round KO stoppage at 3:57.
• Second professional win, both by knockout.
• Part of his Pinnacle FC run in the Pittsburgh area MMA scene.

Garbrandt made his professional MMA debut at Pinnacle FC in Pittsburgh and stopped Charles Kessinger in the first round with punches. The performance announced him as a natural finisher from his very first professional appearance.

Key moments

• Professional MMA debut at age 21.
• First-round TKO at 4:11, stopped by referee with Kessinger slumped against the cage.
• Competed at a catch weight above bantamweight for this debut fight.
• Set the tone for a career defined by knockout power from day one.