Pablo Garza is already one of the tallest and rangiest fighters in the 145-pound division, but the standout featherweight is looking to further increase his advantage.
Coming off a dominant upset victory over former title contender Mark Hominick at UFC 154, Garza is now looking to test the waters at bantamweight. However, at 6’1″, that all depends on whether “The Scarecrow” can make the weight cut with his health intact.
Garza spoke with MMA Mania shortly after his win in Montreal, Canada, stating that his natural attributes could make him the “Jon Jones” of the 135-pound division:
I’m going to think about it. It’s probably going to be a couple of trial runs first, you know, see how I feel working with the diet, getting a good dietitian and stuff like that and if I can make ’35 and dominate, I’m going to do it.
If I make 135, I know I’ll win the title. I think I will be like the Jon Jones of 135.
Garza did show a knack for using his reach in the fight with Hominick. Over three rounds, he punished his Canadian foe from top position with hard elbows, forearms pressed to the throat, long punches while sitting in guard and the slightly unsportsmanlike “hands over the mouth” tactic—all techniques commonly associated with Jones.
Garza is currently 3-2 in the UFC since the merger with the WEC, with two losses in his last three fights and a 12-3 career MMA record. After two wins that netted “Knockout of the Night” and “Submission of the Night” awards, Garza hit a two-fight skid against Dustin Poirier and Dennis Bermudez.
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