Cody Garbrandt has a big decision to make.
The former UFC bantamweight champion is set to complete his current contract with the promotion on Nov. 9, when he fights Miles Johns at a UFC APEX show in Las Vegas on Nov. 9. When fight night rolls around, that’s 16 octagon appearances for Garbrandt, once one of the UFC’s most popular fighters.
Garbrandt discussed his contract status on a recent episode of the JAXXON podcast.
“Still going through some things with the UFC,” Garbrandt said. “It’s my last fight on the contract, so we’ll get together with them and see what we can come up with.”
After beginning his pro MMA career with five straight wins, Garbrandt went 5-0 in the UFC with four knockout wins to earn a shot at bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz at UFC 207 in December 2016. Garbrandt put on a virtuoso performance to claim the title at 25 years old, but then lost back-to-back fights by knockout to rival T.J. Dillashaw.
Since winning the title, Garbrandt has won just three of his past nine fights and appears to be well past his prime. He would still garner plenty of attention in free agency given his past accolades and he’ll likely consider other offers even if his preference is to stay put.
“I’d love to [re-sign],” Garbrandt said. “I love the UFC, especially the way the sport’s going. I love mixed martial arts. Obviously, UFC is the premier league to fight in there, but you know, money talks.”
Should the Johns fight go poorly, there’s also the chance that Garbrandt decides to call it a day, though he hasn’t discussed retirement as a possibility. When asked what he plans to do when he’s done competing, Garbrandt mentioned he’d like to stay involved in combat sports, though he’ll pass on the responsibility of coaching.
“I haven’t put too much thought into it—well, a little bit of thought into it,” Garbrandt said. “I try to not stay focused on one thing, but I’ve been in the sport for so long. Wrestling my whole life, boxed, did MMA, it would be in that realm. Maybe a gym.
“I don’t know if I could be a coach and deal with a lot of the fighters because a lot of the fighters are pretty crazy. Maybe I have a gym, maybe get in some management.”
