Garbrandt Firing Cruz Missiles To Sink Figueiredo

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt was expected to make his flyweight debut against Deiveson Figueiredo at the UFC 255 pay-per-view (PPV) event last month in Las Vegas, but COVID-19 bounced him from their championship title fight.

Fortunately for “No Love,” Figueiredo — who dispatched Alex Perez in the opening frame — will make a quick turnaround for a short-notice title defense opposite No. 1 contender Brandon Moreno atop the UFC 256 fight card in just a few weeks, putting Garbrandt back at the top of the list for early 2021.

“I just think he smashes everyone in this division [other than me],” Garbrandt told ESPN. “These guys sit there in front of him, and that’s where he throws bombs. I move too much. I’m too quick. I’m in and out. These fighters don’t know how to fight backwards. Pressure is all they know. My game plan will be how I fought Dominick Cruz.”

Garbrandt upset Cruz in the UFC 207 co-main event back in December 2016, out-striking “The Dominator” across all five rounds. What followed was a dreadful three-fight losing streak, recently halted with a knockout victory over Raphael Assuncao.

This scenario requires Figueiredo to defeat Moreno at UFC 256, but if “The Assassin Baby” can upset the 125-pound apple cart, the promotion may be more interested in a rematch than a potential “No Love” title defense. That means Garbrandt’s title plans will have to be put on hold for the time being.