Cody Garbrandt entered UFC 285 looking for redemption — and to snap a three-fight skid — in his fight with short-notice replacement Trevin Jones.
Jones had stepped up in place of Julio Arce in the fight, which saw Garbrandt looking for his first win since a 2020 knockout of Raphael Assuncao.
The bantamweight contest served as the featured fight of the UFC 285 preliminary card on Saturday in Las Vegas.
Following a short feeling-out process, the two bantamweights began to exchange heavy shots towards the end of the first round. Garbrandt exhibited his usual razzle dazzle, eluding strikes in a playful manner while keeping his eyes locked on his combatant.
The former UFC bantamweight champion mixed in his wrestling nicely, slamming Jones to the mat just moments into the second frame and controlling top position for a majority of the round.
Jones battled back, however, pushing forward and doing his best to control the pace of the fight in the third. Garbrandt utilized deceptive head and lateral movements in order to avoid the shots coming his way, before getting taken down and controlled for the last minute of the three-round bout.
The fight would go to the judges scorecards octagon side, where Cody Garbandt would be declared the winner via unanimous decision. The victory marked Garbrandt’s second win in the last six years, and may prove a pivotal one in determining his future with the organization.
With tonight’s defeat, Trevin Jones has lost four fights in a row and is at serious risk of being cut from the UFC.
Official Result: Cody Garbrandt def. Trevin Jones by unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)