Cody Garbrandt Record: 15-7-0

Rise to the title

The breakout came in 2016. Garbrandt blitzed Augusto Mendes with a first-round knockout, then delivered a career-defining statement by knocking out previously unbeaten phenom Thomas Almeida in the first round. A first-round TKO of veteran Takeya Mizugaki set up a title shot, and at UFC 207 in December 2016 he produced a masterpiece, outclassing longtime champion Dominick Cruz over five rounds to win the UFC Bantamweight Championship by unanimous decision and run his record to a perfect 11–0.

Title losses and turbulence

The reign was short. In November 2017, Garbrandt lost the belt to former teammate-turned-rival T.J. Dillashaw by second-round TKO at UFC 217, then fell again in their August 2018 rematch, this time by first-round knockout. A first-round TKO loss to Pedro Munhoz in March 2019 made it three straight defeats and raised real questions about his future. He answered with a flash of his old self in June 2020, scoring a spectacular second-round knockout of Raphael Assunção.

The grind back

Consistency proved elusive in the years that followed. Garbrandt dropped a five-round decision to Rob Font in 2021 and, in a brief move to flyweight, was stopped by Kai Kara-France. Back at bantamweight, he steadied with a decision win over Trevin Jones in 2023 and a vintage first-round knockout of Brian Kelleher later that year. Losses to Deiveson Figueiredo and Raoni Barcelos followed, before Garbrandt regrouped with a unanimous-decision win over Long Xiao in March 2026. He is next scheduled to face Adrian Yanez.

Fighting style

Garbrandt is one of the most explosive punchers the bantamweight division has produced, and his record reflects it: of his 15 wins, 11 have come by knockout, with four by decision and an aggressive 73% finish rate. His boxing background shows in his crisp combinations, head movement and one-shot power, and at his peak — the Almeida and Cruz performances — he looked nearly untouchable. The flip side is durability and discipline against pressure: five of his seven losses came by stoppage, often when he traded recklessly or chased a finish. When Garbrandt fights patiently and lets his hands flow, though, he remains a threat to end any fight with a single punch.

Career highlights

• UFC Bantamweight Champion — outpointed longtime titleholder Dominick Cruz at UFC 207 to win the belt and complete an 11–0 start.
• Statement knockout of Thomas Almeida — flattened the unbeaten Thomas Almeida in the first round to vault into title contention.
• Elite knockout power — 11 of 15 career wins by KO, a 73% finish rate that kept him a danger long after his title reign.