Cody Garbrandt, the former bantamweight champion, will not be competing in his scheduled UFC 292 bout against Mario Bautista.
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During Saturday’s UFC Fight Night broadcast on ESPN, it was revealed that Cody Garbrandt, the former bantamweight champion, will not be competing in his scheduled UFC 292 bout against Mario Bautista due to an undisclosed injury.
As per the broadcast, Garbrandt sustained the injury during his preparations for the match, which was initially set for August 19 at Boston’s TD Garden. The organizers are currently scouting for a potential stand-in to take on Bautista in the bout.
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At the age of 32, Garbrandt sought to continue his momentum following a clear-cut victory over Trevin Giles at UFC 285 back in March, a triumph that signified his comeback after a hiatus of over two years.
Since clinching the 135-pound title by defeating Dominick Cruz in December 2016, his once-bright career has faced significant challenges. Prior to the win against Giles, Garbrandt had experienced defeat in five out of his six preceding bouts. At the age of 30, Bautista has secured victory in his last four fights, impressively finishing his most recent three bouts via submission.
Bautista was astutely aware of the chinks in Garbrandt’s recent armor, seeing them as opportunities to capitalize on. Sharing his perspective with MMA Junkie Radio, Bautista conveyed his strategic confidence for the upcoming showdown:
“It’s just another fight. That’s all it is to me. He’s had some ups and downs lately, so I’m looking to capitalize on that. I’m not putting too much pressure on myself. It’s just another fight to me, and he’s someone that can be beaten and that has been beaten before. All I can do is just work as hard as I can and roll the dice out there just like I do every time – and it usually works out pretty good for me.“
Unassumingly, Bautista has been steadily climbing the bantamweight ladder, leaving a trail of remarkable displays in his wake. Of particular note are his three successive first-round submission triumphs against Brian Kelleher, Benito Lopez, and Guido Cannetti. Although he may have operated inconspicuously thus far, Bautista is enthusiastically poised to grasp the chance to exhibit his prowess on a grander platform.
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