It appears as though a bantamweight clash between Mario Bautista and former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt is reportedly in the works for a UFC event on August 19th.
MMA Fighting reported that the bout was in the works and noted that a location has yet to be determined. The bout will mark Garbrandt's first fight since his unanimous decision win over Trevin Jones at UFC 285. It was a significant win for the former bantamweight champion as he snapped his two-fight losing skid and had a more tactical game plan.
Bautista, on the other hand, has been on an impressive run as of late as he is currently riding a 4-fight winning streak. A win over 'No Love' could elevate his status in a stacked division and possibly earn fights against other top-ranked opponents.
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'No Love' also has an opportunity to regain his status in the bantamweight division as a second consecutive win could see him return to the rankings.
When did Cody Garbrandt win the UFC bantamweight championship?
Cody Garbandt achieved a great deal of success early on in his MMA career as he earned a title shot in his eleventh professional fight.
'No Love' was an unbeaten surging contender when he challenged then-bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz at UFC 207 in 2016. It was an incredible performance for the young Team Alpha Male prospect, who caused a number of problems for Cruz with his quick strikes and feints.
There were moments where 'The Dominator' couldn't land his combinations, leading to Garbrandt taunting him. The fight went the distance, and the judges scored the bout 48-46, 48-46, and 48-47 in 'No Love's favor as he became the new bantamweight champion. It was an entertaining fight that saw both fighters earn a bonus for Fight of the Night.