Former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt made the drop to flyweight at UFC 269, successfully making weight Friday. For his first showing at 125lbs, “No Love” was booked opposite the #6 ranked Kai Kara-France, in what promised to be an action-packed affair.
Garbrandt had spent over half a year dieting down, changing his lifestyle, and making the drop to flyweight the right way. That investment didn’t pay off the way Garbrandt had hoped come Saturday night.
It was the former champ opening things up with a low kick at the T-Mobile Arena. Garbrandt circled on the outside, looking to catch Kara-France on the way in. But moments later, “Don’t Blink” dropped Garbrandt in the blink of an eye with a right hand. Incredibly Garbrandt made it back up, only to eat another crushing blow. Garbrandt would retreat, practically running out of harm’s way. Garbrandt dropped for a double leg, but Kara-France escaped, and turned up the heat, landing several more blows on a stunned Cody Garbrandt before ref Herb Dean swooped in to make the save.
DON'T BLINK 👀
[ @KaiKaraFrance | #UFC269 ] pic.twitter.com/D3gP2juBmV
— UFC (@ufc) December 12, 2021
Unquestionably, Kai Kara-France picked up the biggest win of his career at UFC 269. He should land in the title conversation after that performance. And that’s exactly what Kara-France is looking for, as he said following the fight that he’d be watching the Brandon Moreno-Deiveson Figueiredo trilogy fight closely.
Official Result: Kai Kara-France def. Cody Garbrandt by TKO, Round 1, 3:21
