T.J. Dillashaw is and isn’t surprised to see Cody Garbrandt on a current losing skid.
Since dethroning Dominick Cruz to become UFC bantamweight champion in December 2016, Garbrandt (12-5 MMA, 7-5 UFC) has lost five of his past six fights and four by knockout.
Two of those losses came in back-to-back title fights against Dillashaw. Being his former teammate, Dillashaw knows how talented Garbrandt can be but thinks his biggest fault is the lack of evolution as a fighter.
“He’s a pretty freak athlete,” Dillashaw said on “The Schaub Show.” “He’s fast. He’s the fastest guy I’ve ever sparred or fought, by far the most speed, but I’m not trying to be a complete a**hole, but he’s not the smartest human being inside that cage. To be able to stay on the top, you’ve got to change who you are and fight to fight to fight, he’s the exact same fighter. He’s a wrestler. He knows how to wrestle. Why not learn some jiu-jitsu and stop relying on your chin and hands because your chin is not there.
“So change up who you are as a fighter, and he’s just not willing to do that. He’s gonna keep his head in the same spot, his hands are gonna be low, and he’s gonna throw hard, fast hooks. So after everyone sees where his weaknesses are at, and his left hand is in his pocket as he throws the right hand, just keep your left hand high and smoke him with the right. I mean, game over. We’ve seen it like five fights in a row.”
After a failed stint at flyweight against Kai Kara-France, Garbrandt will return to his original home and take on jiu-jitsu ace Rani Yahya (28-10-1 MMA, 13-4-1 UFC) on July 9, and Dillashaw sees it as a favorable matchup for “No Love” to get back to the win column.
“The guy is dangerous too, but I think Garbrandt is too fast for that sh*t,” Dillashaw said. “Garbrandt’s hard to take down. He’s gonna be too fast, and Yahya’s standup is very pathetic. I mean, 40 fights and no finishes on your feet, but on the ground he’s a ninja. I just don’t think he’ll get it there. I think Garbrandt is too fast for it.”
T.J. Dillashaw: Cody Garbrandt ‘a pretty freak athlete’ but refuses to evolve as a fighter