Athletes
Cody Garbrandt Trusted The Process
A Health Scare Last Year Put Cody Garbrandt’s Future In Question. But Now, He Returns Healthy And Ready To Get Back On Track In Atlanta
It’s been fourteen months since Cody Garbrandt last fought.
A long fourteen months where the former bantamweight champion didn’t know if he would ever step into the Octagon again. After dealing with a severe case of vertigo in his fight against Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 300, “No Love” had to take many steps to get back to competition level.
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“I felt great in the fight, had a great camp, but in the second round I got taken down and had vertigo super bad to where I couldn’t function or move,” Garbrandt said. “I ended up going to the hospital until five or six in the morning. Then, I went to a lot of specialists to figure it out and they got me the right treatment I needed to feel confident to get back in there. It took a long time, 14 months. I’m super thankful to the UFC and the Performance Institute, all the doctors, physical therapists, the staff; they really dialed in on a program that was going to work for me.”
Throughout that difficult time, Garbrandt leaned on the people around him and never lost faith that he would return to the Octagon. Dealing with obstacles and overcoming them is something the veteran is no stranger to after spending over 10 years competing for the UFC.
Now, he returns to the Octagon healthy and ready to go, as he prepares to fight Brazil’s Raoni Barcelos in Atlanta, Georgia. It is the first time Garbrandt has fought outside of Las Vegas since 2019.
“Coming in here with a long layoff, my body, mind and soul needed some time to recoup, re-evaluate and re-assess what that next step was,” Garbrandt said. “Taking that time to get back into training, with my coaches and teammates, it’s been great. Great camp, good energy throughout the whole camp, super healthy and ready to put it on the line. First time fighting out of Las Vegas in so long. I totally forgot what I needed to bring, pack, travel, all of that, but to be able to come down here to Atlanta, I’m excited to put on for the fans.”
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The division that he once ruled is a fun one at the moment, as we come off the heels of champion Merab Dvalishvili’s title defense over Sean O’Malley last weekend at UFC 316. Of course, when you get to the UFC, everyone is tough and the competition is a step up, but there are a ton of contenders and prospects waiting in the wings and coming up at 135 pounds.
As someone that has made it to the top before and fought some of the best in the division, Garbrandt knows how special this division is.
“Being a former world champion, I know what it takes to get there,” Garbrandt said.” It’s a lot of work and sacrifice, but, for me, I’ve been in the UFC for over 10 years now and to be able to put on these gloves and make that walk, I truly love it. It’s almost a love/hate relationship, but fighting and the UFC saved me and I’m forever grateful for the opportunities that I’ve worked for and that they present. The division is fun, there are a lot of huge matchups, but I’m not looking over Raoni. He is a tough, gritty dog, a veteran, and he has been in the game for a while, as well.”
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After not being able to compete for over a year, the 33-year-old is eager to get back to doing what he loves. He was supposed to return to competition last November but had to withdraw from that fight due to vertigo once again. But now, as he sits days away from his fight against Barcelos inside a full State Farm Arena in Atlanta, he’s excited to put on the gloves once again and make the walk, proud of how he handled the obstacles and challenges and made it to the other side.
“For me, it’s about just going out there and being myself. However the win will come, it’ll come. I’ve put in the work and I’m in the best shape of my life. I believe in myself to the fullest that wherever the fight needs to go, I’ll get the win. I just need to remember to have fun, because you never know when your last fight will be.”
UFC Fight Night: Usman vs Buckley took place live from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on June 14, 2025. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!