Cody Garbrandt went from the top of the world to the basement in under three years. Garbrandt was 11-0 and the UFC bantamweight champion when the calendar flipped to 2017. By March 2019 he was an ex-champion with a 11-3 record. To make matters worse, Garbrandt lost each of those contests by knockout.
In June 2020, Garbrandt turned things around with a “Performance of the Night” bonus-winning knockout of Raphael Assuncao. On Saturday, Garbrandt fights for the first time since that win when he faces Rob Font in the main event of UFC Vegas 27.
Garbrandt wanted to return to the octagon sooner, but injuries and a severe case of COVID-19 prevented him from making that walk.