Cody Garbrandt: No Love — Fighter Profile, Career & Legacy
- Dana Black
- May 9
- 9 min read
Introduction
Cody "No Love" Garbrandt is a former UFC Bantamweight Champion and one of the most one-shot-power-punching bantamweight contenders of the modern UFC era. The Uhrichsville, Ohio native — trained as a boxer from age four by his Olympic alternate uncle Robert Meese — emerged from the regional circuit to win the UFC Bantamweight title from Dominick Cruz at UFC 207 in December 2016. He continues to compete in 2026 and is scheduled for UFC 329 on the International Fight Week card on July 11, 2026.
Contents
Quick Stats
Nickname: No Love
Age: 34 (born July 7, 1991)
Height: 5'8" (173 cm)
Reach: 65.5" (166 cm)
Weight Class: Bantamweight (135 lb), formerly attempted Flyweight (125 lb)
Stance: Orthodox
Team: Team Alpha Male, Sacramento, California (since 2015)
Pro MMA Record: 15 wins, 7 losses (active in UFC)
Background
Born July 7, 1991 in Uhrichsville, Ohio. Garbrandt grew up in challenging working-class circumstances with his mother Jessica and older brother Zach (who he constantly fought as a child). His father — a long-term drug addict — spent most of his life in prison and was absent from his life; his mother eventually divorced and Cody was adopted by his stepfather at age 10. At ages four and five, Cody and Zach began boxing under their uncle Robert Meese, who was an Olympic alternate in the sport.
He competed as an amateur boxer through his teens and transitioned to MMA in 2012, building his early career on the Pinnacle FC regional circuit in the eastern US. After a first-round finish of Charles Sanford in October 2014, he signed with the UFC and made his promotional debut at UFC 182 in January 2015 with a third-round TKO of Marcus Brimage. He moved to Sacramento, California in 2015 to train at Team Alpha Male under Urijah Faber, where he has remained for his entire UFC career. He has been married since July 2017 (now divorced as of 2023) and has two adopted sons — Hap (2017) and Ace (2022).
Fighting Style
Boxing-driven counter-striking layered with elite footwork and championship-level finishing power. Garbrandt's pattern is textbook stance-switching boxing combined with one-shot KO power in the right hand — his Olympic-alternate-uncle boxing foundation from age four gave him a foundational grasp of the sport that few UFC bantamweights of his era can match. The Dominick Cruz UFC 207 unanimous-decision title-winning performance (knocking Cruz down twice in the fourth round) and the Raphael Assuncao UFC 250 one-punch KO at 4:59 of round two are the canonical examples of his championship-level striking arsenal.
His weakness — exposed across the post-2017 stretch — is takedown defense and durability against elite power strikers. The TJ Dillashaw UFC 217 second-round TKO loss, the Dillashaw UFC 227 first-round TKO loss, the Pedro Munhoz UFC 235 first-round KO loss, the Rob Font UFC Fight Night unanimous decision loss, the Kai Kara-France UFC 269 first-round TKO loss, and the Deiveson Figueiredo UFC 300 second-round rear-naked choke loss reflect different versions of the same pattern — championship-level striker but vulnerable to elite power and grappling pressure once the fight goes more than one or two minutes. Within his prime championship window in 2014-2016, however, his arsenal was the technical floor of the UFC bantamweight division and produced one of the most-replayed title-winning performances in division history.
Career Highlights
January 2015 — UFC debut at UFC 182 vs Marcus Brimage. Won by third-round TKO.
May 2016 — UFC Fight Night 88 vs Thomas Almeida. Won by first-round KO — Performance of the Night.
August 2016 — UFC 202 vs Takeya Mizugaki. Won by first-round TKO at 0:48.
December 2016 — UFC Bantamweight Champion. Defeated Dominick Cruz at UFC 207 by unanimous decision (knocked Cruz down twice, nearly finished in round four).
November 2017 — UFC 217 vs TJ Dillashaw 1. Lost the title via second-round TKO at Madison Square Garden.
August 2018 — UFC 227 vs TJ Dillashaw 2. Lost rematch via first-round TKO.
March 2019 — UFC 235 vs Pedro Munhoz. Lost by first-round KO — Fight of the Night.
June 2020 — UFC 250 vs Raphael Assuncao. Won by second-round one-punch KO — Performance of the Night.
December 2021 — UFC 269 vs Kai Kara-France. Lost by first-round TKO.
April 2024 — UFC 300 vs Deiveson Figueiredo. Lost via second-round rear-naked choke.
March 2026 — UFC 326 vs Long Xiao. Won by unanimous decision after Long was deducted two points for repeated groin strikes.
July 2026 — UFC 329 vs Adrian Yanez (scheduled, International Fight Week).
Notable Fights & Rivalries
vs Dominick Cruz (UFC 207, 2016)
The fight that crowned Garbrandt as UFC bantamweight champion. He defeated Cruz by unanimous decision at UFC 207 on December 30, 2016 — knocking Cruz down twice in the fourth round and nearly finishing the fight. Cruz had been the most accomplished UFC bantamweight champion in division history at that point; the Garbrandt UFC 207 win is widely considered one of the most-watched UFC bantamweight title fights of the 2010s. Garbrandt has subsequently shut down the possibility of a Cruz rematch.
vs TJ Dillashaw (UFC 217 2017, UFC 227 2018)
Two fights, two Dillashaw wins. The two had famously coached opposite each other on TUF 25 in 2017 (Garbrandt had left Team Alpha Male, where Dillashaw also trained); the UFC 217 Madison Square Garden fight in November 2017 ended with Dillashaw's looping right-hook KO of Garbrandt in round two. The UFC 227 rematch in August 2018 ended in another Dillashaw first-round TKO. The two fights together effectively ended Garbrandt's championship-level prime and started his post-2018 stretch of inconsistent results.
vs Deiveson Figueiredo (UFC 255 cancelled, UFC 300 2024)
The flyweight title shot that never happened. Garbrandt was scheduled to challenge Figueiredo for the UFC Flyweight Championship at UFC 255 in November 2020, but pulled out due to a torn bicep. The originally-scheduled rebooking never came together; the two finally met at UFC 300 in April 2024 in a non-title bout that Figueiredo won by second-round rear-naked choke. The result confirmed Garbrandt's late-career window had narrowed at both bantamweight and flyweight.
vs Raphael Assuncao (UFC on ESPN 8 cancelled, UFC 250 2020)
Garbrandt's most-replayed comeback win. The two were scheduled for UFC on ESPN 8 in March 2020 but Garbrandt pulled out due to kidney issues; the rebooking at UFC 250 in June 2020 ended with Garbrandt's one-punch KO of Assuncao at 4:59 of round two — Performance of the Night. The result was Garbrandt's first UFC win since UFC 207 in December 2016 and one of the most-replayed bantamweight finishes of 2020.
vs Long Xiao (UFC 326, 2026)
Garbrandt's most-recent UFC win. He defeated Long Xiao by unanimous decision (28-27, 28-27, 28-27) at UFC 326 on March 7, 2026 in Las Vegas after Long was deducted two points for repeated groin strikes (one of which left Garbrandt vomiting in a bucket inside the Octagon between rounds). The result was his first UFC win since the December 2023 KO of Brian Kelleher and snapped a four-loss stretch in his late career.
Championships & Accolades
UFC Bantamweight Champion (December 2016 to November 2017).
Started UFC career undefeated 11-0 (10-0 in UFC) before first loss to Dillashaw at UFC 217.
Multiple UFC Performance of the Night winner.
Career UFC wins over Dominick Cruz, Thomas Almeida, Takeya Mizugaki, Raphael Assuncao, Trevin Jones, Brian Kelleher, and Long Xiao.
TUF 25 Coach (2017, opposite TJ Dillashaw).
First UFC bantamweight champion to come out of Team Alpha Male in Sacramento.
Olympic-alternate-boxing-trained from age four (his uncle Robert Meese was an Olympic alternate boxer).
Currently scheduled for UFC 329 vs Adrian Yanez on July 11, 2026.
Current Status
Active in the UFC. Garbrandt's most recent fight was the March 7, 2026 unanimous-decision win over Long Xiao at UFC 326 in Las Vegas. The fight was won via point deductions (Long was deducted two points for repeated groin strikes — one of which left Garbrandt vomiting in a bucket inside the Octagon between rounds). The result was Garbrandt's first UFC win since the December 2023 KO of Brian Kelleher and snapped a four-loss late-career stretch.
He is scheduled to face Adrian Yanez at UFC 329 on July 11, 2026 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas — part of the UFC's International Fight Week card. Garbrandt has gone 4-7 in his post-championship UFC career since UFC 207 in December 2016 and continues to train at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento. He has expressed interest in a future fight against Sean O'Malley and has publicly explored potential moves to other combat sports including Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC) following recent attendance at BKFC events.
Fun Facts
His nickname "No Love" comes from his teenage years in Uhrichsville — a reflection of his hard-fighting, no-mercy attitude inside and outside the cage.
Started boxing at age four under his uncle Robert Meese — an Olympic alternate in the sport — making him one of the most boxing-foundational UFC bantamweight champions in promotion history.
Trains at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento under Urijah Faber — the gym he moved to in 2015 ahead of his championship run, where he has trained for over a decade.
Famously coached opposite TJ Dillashaw on The Ultimate Fighter Season 25 in 2017 — the season widely cited as one of the most-watched coach-vs-coach buildups in UFC history.
His older brother Zach has competed at the regional MMA circuit level — making the two brothers one of the rare bantamweight-level siblings in modern MMA.
Holds 985,000 Instagram followers and remains one of the most-followed American UFC bantamweights of his era.
His March 2026 UFC 326 win over Long Xiao was the first UFC bout in promotion history where the winner vomited mid-fight inside the Octagon between rounds (from a groin strike).
Has expressed interest in transitioning to Bare Knuckle FC after attending BKFC 79 in late 2025 — though has not signed any agreement to leave the UFC.
Legacy / Verdict
Cody Garbrandt is a former UFC Bantamweight Champion and one of the most one-shot-power-punching bantamweight contenders of the modern UFC era. The December 2016 UFC 207 title-winning unanimous decision over Dominick Cruz — knocking Cruz down twice in the fourth round and nearly finishing the fight — is one of the most-replayed UFC bantamweight title-fight performances of the 2010s. The Olympic-alternate-boxing foundation, the 11-0 UFC career start, and the championship-era Performance of the Night honors together place him in the top ten UFC bantamweight contenders of his generation.
What complicates the legacy is the post-championship stretch — 4-7 since UFC 207 in December 2016 — that has prevented him from regaining a title shot. The two losses to TJ Dillashaw, the four KO losses across the post-2017 stretch, and the cancelled flyweight title shots at UFC 255 (2020) reflect the same pattern of championship-level striker who could not consistently solve elite contenders past round one. The continued late-career UFC competition through 2026 keeps him in the active rotation; the Hall of Fame Modern Wing induction conversation is on the bubble given his championship reign was relatively short and his post-championship resume has not produced consistent title contention. The UFC 329 fight against Adrian Yanez on July 11, 2026 represents his next opportunity to extend his late-career legacy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cody Garbrandt still active?
Yes. He is currently active in the UFC bantamweight division. His most recent fight was a unanimous-decision win over Long Xiao at UFC 326 on March 7, 2026 (after Long was deducted two points for repeated groin strikes). He is scheduled to face Adrian Yanez at UFC 329 on July 11, 2026 at International Fight Week in Las Vegas.
What is Cody Garbrandt's professional MMA record?
Fifteen wins and seven losses across his career. He turned professional in October 2012 and has competed in the UFC since UFC 182 in January 2015 — going 10-7 in UFC competition with one current scheduled fight as of mid-2026.
Was Cody Garbrandt UFC Bantamweight Champion?
Yes. He won the UFC Bantamweight title at UFC 207 on December 30, 2016 by unanimous decision over Dominick Cruz — knocking down Cruz twice and nearly finishing the fight in the fourth round. He held the title until UFC 217 on November 4, 2017, when he lost via second-round TKO to TJ Dillashaw — also losing the rematch at UFC 227 in August 2018 by first-round TKO.
Did Cody Garbrandt try to win the UFC Flyweight title?
He attempted twice but never had the fight take place. He was scheduled to challenge Deiveson Figueiredo for the UFC Flyweight Championship at UFC 255 in November 2020 (cancelled due to a torn bicep) and again at a subsequent rebooking that never came together. He did face Figueiredo at UFC 300 in April 2024 in a non-title bout, losing by second-round rear-naked choke.
What style does Cody Garbrandt fight?
Boxing-driven counter-striking layered with elite footwork and championship-level finishing power. Garbrandt's pattern is textbook stance-switching boxing combined with one-shot KO power in the right hand — his uncle Robert Meese was an Olympic alternate in boxing, which gave him a foundational grasp of the sport from age four. The Dominick Cruz UFC 207 unanimous-decision title-winning performance and the Raphael Assuncao UFC 250 one-punch KO are the canonical examples of his championship-level striking arsenal.
Has Cody Garbrandt had a 4-7 stretch?
Yes. Since winning the UFC Bantamweight title at UFC 207 in December 2016, Garbrandt has gone 4-7 in his next eleven UFC fights — losing both Dillashaw rematches, the Pedro Munhoz fight, the Rob Font fight, the Kai Kara-France fight, the Deiveson Figueiredo fight, and the Raoni Barcelos fight. The recent UFC 326 win over Long Xiao in March 2026 was his first UFC win since the December 2023 KO of Brian Kelleher.
Where is Cody Garbrandt from?
Born July 7, 1991 in Uhrichsville, Ohio. He grew up boxing with his uncle Robert Meese (an Olympic alternate boxer) and his older brother Zach starting at age four. He competed as an amateur boxer before transitioning to MMA in 2012. He trains at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California (since 2015) under Urijah Faber and various coaches.
How tall is Cody Garbrandt?
Five feet eight inches (173 cm), with a 65.5-inch (166 cm) reach. He competes at bantamweight (135 lb) and previously attempted to move to flyweight (125 lb) for two cancelled title shots against Deiveson Figueiredo.
References
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