Athletes
Former Ultimate Fighter Season 31 finalist and current UFC bantamweight Cody Gibson started his professional mixed martial arts career in 2008, but at 37 years old, it seems he may be reaching his prime.
Don’t take it from me; he’ll tell you that himself. But you can also look at his latest performance, a first-round submission win over Brian Kelleher, as an indicator of his continued growth inside the Octagon.
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“I’m moving in the right direction, I’m making the right moves, doing the right things,” Gibson said. “I’ve been fighting for almost two decades. It’s been a crazy journey. I’m 37 and a bantamweight, so everyone’s like, ‘Oh, they’re old.’ Yeah, thank you for reminding me, internet, but besides that, I actually think back to it and I’m like, ‘Would the 37-year-old me beat the 25-year-old me when I was in the UFC last time?’ And yeah, I think he would, actually; I know he would. I’m putting my best foot forward and keeping the foot on the gas and we’ll see what transpires.”
Physically, Gibson hasn’t felt like his body has slowed down at all, and he credits that to fighting frequently and staying in shape year-round, as opposed to falling in and out of training around his training camps.
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“I’m here to fight,” Gibson said. “That’s what [the UFC] wants me to do, so, if I can keep stacking them three a year, I’m going to keep doing that. You get in a routine, you’ve done it before, and every single fight since I’ve been back In the UFC, there’s little things you change and little adjustments you make as you go, so I always feel like the next version is the best version.
“The hardest part about getting in shape is the beginning. And I haven’t had a lot of downtime this year to eat too well and gain too much weight. It’s been probably the most consistent year in a long time as far as getting right back into the gym.”
On Saturday, Gibson will make his third walk to the Octagon in the last eight months at UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Albazi in the promotion’s return to Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Gibson will take on Dana White’s Contender Series Season 5 grad Chad Anheliger, who comes into this one as the local favorite, as he’s only a three-hour drive north from Calgary to Rogers Place.
While fighters are always itching to get to fight night amid media obligations and various activations, no one is more eager to make the walk than the California native, who sees far less snow on the coast of San Luis Obispo than the City of Champions.
“I’m the biggest wimp when it comes to cold weather,” Gibson said. “I live by the beach, so I wear a t-shirt, shorts and flip flops 80 percent of the year. I came over-prepared. I brought wool socks, thermals, beanies. I was like, ‘Man, I’m going somewhere I’ve never been.’ And I don’t go to the snow that often. It’s not as bad as I anticipated.”
Regarding the fight itself, the game plan is business as usual for Gibson, who hopes to use his versatility to overcome the “tough” and “gritty” challenge ahead. While taking as little damage as possible and coming home with an extra $50,000 would be icing on the cake for he and his wife, Gibson is no stranger to grinding out a three-round war, and he’ll do whatever he needs to this weekend to get his hand raised.
“I think this fight will probably be everywhere; we’re going to test each other on the feet, we’re going to test each other in the grappling,” Gibson said. “I know I’m going to mix it up, I’m sure he’s anticipating the same. I’m all about high volume and high pressure and he seems to be a willing dance partner, so I’m hoping for fireworks when we get in there.
“I just think I’m more skilled. We’re similar in the sense that we both have dogs in us if we need to go that route, but I think my skills will allow me to hopefully not have to bring that out. My wife will tell you, ‘No more Fight of the Night bonuses, I just want performance bonuses.’”
UFC Fight Night: Moreno vs Albazi took place live from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on November 2, 2024. See the final Prelim & Main Card Results, Official Scorecards and Who Won Bonuses - and relive the action on UFC FIGHT PASS!
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