Former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt says he has discovered a sense of peace amid past chaos as he prepares for his return at UFC 326. The 34-year-old fighter faces Xiao Long in a preliminary bantamweight matchup on Saturday in Las Vegas. Garbrandt credits returning to his wrestling and boxing roots for reigniting his passion for the sport.
Cody Garbrandt, who won the UFC bantamweight title in 2016 before losing it 11 months later, has struggled with a 3-7 record in his past 10 fights. Growing up poor in a small town outside Cleveland, Ohio, Garbrandt became an Ohio state wrestling champion but faced family challenges, including uncles and a father with repeated prison terms. He credits mixed martial arts with providing purpose and escape.
"I truly believe fighting saved my life," Garbrandt said during UFC 326 media day. "I have a lot of friends that are no longer with us, that are dead or hooked on drugs or in prison for life. I come from that."
After becoming champion, Garbrandt said his circle changed dramatically. "A lot changed [after becoming champion]," he explained. "A lot of people around me. I went from unranked to world champion in the same year. There’s people that I didn’t know that was in my circle. Just for what you did, what you had."
He admitted to craving chaos due to his upbringing, but recent perspective shifts have brought balance. Now a father to an 8-year-old son and a 2-month-old daughter, Garbrandt focuses on family alongside training. "I’m winning at life," he said. "My life’s good. I have no chaos."
In preparation for his bout against Xiao Long (27-10 MMA, 1-2 UFC), Garbrandt has returned to his foundational skills. "I've really been getting back to my roots in boxing and the finer details of the boxing science -- also with wrestling," he told CBS Sports. After the title win, fighting felt like a business rather than a passion, but he now seeks to recapture the underdog drive.
Garbrandt enters on a two-fight losing skid but approaches the matchup positively. Separately, he revealed discussions for a wrestling match against rival Sean O'Malley at RAF 8 in April, stemming from a 2021 confrontation, though that follows his UFC commitment.
The event takes place at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.