One-time UFC bantamweight world champion Cody Garbrandt has made his pick for the bantamweight throne at UFC 280. TJ Dillashaw will be looking to regain his lost crown against the reigning champion Aljamain Sterling in Abu Dhabi.
The US-born TJ Dillashaw is a two-time champion with three total defenses, including two wins over former training partner ‘No Love’ Garbrandt. He was stripped of his title and suspended for two years due to testing positive for recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO). Dillashaw made a successful return when he earned a decision victory against the top-ranked Cory Sandhagen earlier this year. Now, at UFC 280, he has an opportunity to take back his lost title.
Cody Garbrandt picked his former training partner and adversary to take back the throne against ‘Funk Master.’ In a post on his Instagram, ‘No Love’ explained:
“What a stacked card we have … UFC matchmakers, hats off to you guys … Aljamain silenced a lot of critics with his last fight, with his dominant win over Yan. I just feel like TJ is a different fighter. Stylistically, movement, he blends the mixed martial arts really well. Even though he’s a piece of sh*t. For some reason I just have TJ winning this fight against Aljamain.”
Cody Garbrandt chooses Petr Yan over ‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley
‘No Love’ Cody Garbrandt will also have a close eye on the other bantamweight showdown on the main card. The colorful-haired Sean O’Malley will face a stiff top-five test against the Russian-born Petr Yan. While speaking on Instagram, Garbrandt explained his pick:
“‘Sugar’ Sean versus Petr Yan fight, very intriguing stylistic matchup. ‘Sugar’ Sean being put to the test. Petr Yan [rebounds] from his previous performance to Aljamain Sterling in a title fight. I’m going to go with Yan in that one.”
‘Sugar’ Sean O’Malley will look to break into the top ten with a solid win over Petr Yan at UFC 280. In the co-main event, the bantamweight world championship will be on the line between the defending Sterling and former titleholder Dillashaw.
Since his loss of the world title at bantamweight, Cody Garbrandt has gone 1-4. Most recently, ‘No Love’ attempted to drop down a weight class to flyweight however suffered an authoritative TKO loss to Kai Kara-France. Since then, he has been booked against Rani Yahya twice but this bout was canceled each time. Garbrandt has no confirmed booking for his next fight.