UFC Champ Cody Garbrandt Has Been ‘Hardly Doing MMA’ Since Injury

Cody Garbrandt is ready to get back inside the Octagon and make his first career UFC title defense.

No Love” shocked the mixed martial arts (MMA) world back in December of last year when he handed Dominick Cruz his first loss in nearly a decade. The pair threw down in the co-main event of UFC 207 where the Team Alpha Male product handed Cruz a unanimous decision defeat, taking his 135-pound title in the process.

Garbrandt was expected to make his first title defense against former teammate TJ Dillashaw at UFC 214 this past weekend, however, the bantamweight champ suffered a back injury that forced that fight to be cancelled. Recently speaking to MMA Fighting via text message, Garbrandt said he has been ‘hardly doing MMA’ since the injury and has been strictly focusing on rehabilitation, however, he has his eyes set on a November return to the UFC at Madison Square Garden (quotes via MMA Fighting):

“I want MSG,” he said.

“Feeling a lot better. Hardly doing MMA. It’s been all rehab and strength and conditioning. I can’t wait to get back.”

Per MMA Fighting, the UFC is targeting five title bouts before the year’s end between the months of October and December. No bouts have been made official, however, here are the match-ups they are eying:

Bantamweight: Cody Garbrandt vs. TJ Dillashaw
Featherweight: Max Holloway vs. Frankie Edgar
Interim lightweight: Tony Ferguson vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov
Middleweight: Michael Bisping vs. Georges St-Pierre (expected to headline UFC 217 from Madison Square Garden)

It should also be noted that the UFC will crown an inaugural female flyweight champion come December in the latest installment of The Ultimate Fighter.

UFC heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic has yet to be approached for his next, and (if successful) what could be a record-breaking third, heavyweight title defense as he remains adamant on holding out until his contract issues are resolved.