LAS VEGAS – Cody Garbrandt admits he’s been there, which is why his internal gauge is telling him Deiveson Figueiredo might be physically unprepared for Saturday’s historic UFC 300 card at T-Mobile Arena.
The two former champions were booked to fight for the flyweight title during Figueiredo’s reign in 2020. However, Garbrandt (14-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) withdrew and the bout never materialized again – until now.
Garbrandt called for the rebooking after his UFC 296 knockout of Brian Kelleher in December and the promotion quickly obliged. The lead-up has included some trash talk, which led Gabrandt to think Figueiredo (22-3-1 MMA, 11-3-1 UFC) might be acting out of desperation.