For Cody Garbrandt, taking out top prospect Thomas Almeida in the main event of last night’s (Sun., May 29, 2016) UFC Fight Night 88 event was the biggest win of his young mixed martial arts (MMA) career.
Not only did he derail a hype train, but he kept his own record mint (9-0, 4-0 UFC) and his devastating first-round knockout of Almeida put the bantamweight division on notice (see it again here). Something the field should have done a long time ago, as “No Love” has eight knockout victories, six of them in the first round.
Better late than never, I suppose, as Cody made the most of his first-ever headlining act inside the Octagon, laying waste to a highly-skilled opponent. Better yet, he made it look very easy. And that’s what was most impressive about his win.
He didn’t just “catch” Almeida with a punch.
It was all setup throughout the bout, as Cody walked down his foe at all times, picked his shots and connected with the coup de grace when the time was right. It was a cool, calm, and calculated attack.
And vicious.
Garbrandt has arrived. However, his path should still not be a rushed one. After all, he will finally crack the official rankings for the first time later tomorrow, coming in somewhere between 12 and 15. So pitting him against a top five foe is out of the question.
That said, he should face the winner of the upcoming fight between John Lineker and Michael McDonald — which is set to pop off at UFC Fight Night 91 on July 13, 2016 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota (details).
He was already booked to face Lineker once before, but the bout was nixed after “Hands of Stone” was struck down with illness.
And whether it’s McDonald or Lineker, either opponent will suit Cody’s style just fine, as both have dynamite in their hands and they are not afraid to use it.
Just like “No Love.”