In a span of two years, Cody Garbrandt had accumulated two losses against a single victory when he secured a unanimous win over Xiao Long at UFC 326 this past March. But things didn’t go his way this time around against Adrien Yanez.
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From the opening seconds of their bantamweight bout, Yanez walked Garbrandt down, finding his rhythm with crisp counter rights. A heavy counter right hand sent Garbrandt stumbling. As Garbrandt attempted to pop back up and initiate a clinch, Yanez shrugged him off and landed a brutal three-punch combination. Garbrandt fell face-down onto the canvas, prompting referee Herb Dean to step in and halt the preliminary card bout. With the first-round TKO loss to Adrien Yanez on the preliminary card of the Conor McGregor-Max Holloway event tonight, his recent record has now stretched to 3-1. While the latest loss did invoke the question of retirement for those watching the fight, the talk was particularly compounded by the way Garbrandt exited the Octagon after the bout.
“Cody Garbrandt exits the #UFC329 cage with his gloves off and in hand. Is this the end? 🤔,” read MMA Junkie’s X post.
Featuring Cody Garbrandt, the ten-second footage showed him leaving for the dressing room. What drew particular attention was that the former champion held the gloves he used in the fight tightly in his hands. Usually, fighters tend to ignore such gear, even during losses, instead focusing on making a quick exit.
Garbrandt, in comparison, holding both gloves in one hand, looked somewhat distant and forlorn. The simplest reason why his walk sparked talk of retirement could be that many must have felt the Ohio native was staring at an uncertain future.
Cody Garbrandt turned 35 just a few days ago. Barring a few victories, the career of the former bantamweight champion has been mired in defeats since he lost his title to T.J. Dillashaw in November 2017.
Including the latest defeat to Yanez, Garbrandt has registered eight losses since 2017. During the period, he has won only four bouts. Beyond the sheer imbalance in those results, the record usually attracts the ire of the UFC, with the promotion following the standard pattern of purging fighters who have been piling up defeats or whose careers do not show any promise of momentum.
For Combat Press’ 2016 Breakout Fighter of the Year, the challenge he confronts is a considerable one, and has now put him under scrutiny from several fans hoping he does not fight again.
Cody Garbrandt leaves fans wondering after UFC 329 defeat
“Should be, dude should be called Cody GAR-Bage,” one fan wrote bluntly. Echoing similar sentiments, another added, “Should’ve set them gloves down a long time ago.” While those sentiments are understandable, they should not be taken at face value.
Garbrandt clearly looked dejected by the outcome. But there’s also a possibility that he might be assessing where he went wrong. The former champion is experienced enough to recalibrate, review his shortcomings, and ensure he does not repeat those mistakes when he makes a comeback.
However, the calls for retirement continued. “Please do. I really don’t see anything good is waiting for him,” wrote one user.
Given the occasion, with Conor McGregor making a return after a five-year layoff, one fan allowed their imagination to run wild, saying, “We might see Garbrandt and McGregor retire in the same night. 2026 is not the new 2016. More like the end of 2016.”
With the card still in progress, the comparison appears understandable. 2016 was a breakthrough year for McGregor, who won a championship in a second weight class when he knocked out Eddie Alvarez in the second round and became the lightweight champion in November. However, like Garbrandt, who became a bantamweight champion just a month later in December, his career gradually lost steam.
While one user offered a more measured take, saying, “Unfortunately he has no other way to make money, and he has many more years of child support. He’ll be back.” Another felt optimistic that Garbrandt may make a return.
“Hope not. I think he’s a great fighter (only 35 yo) and needs to be a bit more cautious by not turning every fight into a brawl. He was probably contemplating retirement,” they wrote.
That optimism likely follows the way Garbrandt established early control in the fight. Had he continued to build on his early success instead of giving Yanez space to recover and seize control, the situation might have been different.
The bout once again brought the focus on Garbrandt’s sketchy defense, particularly his challenges in confronting fierce counters. If he works on those defensive gaps and approaches exchanges in a more measured manner in his next bout, then Garbrandt could possibly extend his career further.
For the time being, the former champion alone can confirm what he plans to do next. The way he spoke about his future during the lead-up to UFC 329, however, drops hints that align with fans’ calls for retirement. “I don’t know how many years I have left in the sport, but I pray that God lets me stay healthy and intact and I can leave on my own terms,” he reportedly stated in an interview.
Viewed in that context, the coming days should reveal Cody Garbrandt’s final decision.
