The UFC’s yet-to-be officially announced August 19, 2023 event has added a former champion.
Cody Garbrandt (13-5) will face Mario Bautista (12-2) in a bantamweight match-up at the event, which does not currently have a location, venue, or broadcast plan reported. News of the booking was first noted by MMA Fighting.
Garbrandt subsequently confirmed the fight on his Instagram Story.
Cody “No Love” recently returned to the win column with a three-round unanimous decision win over Trevin Jones at UFC 284. The fight also marked Garbrandt’s return to 135lbs, after a failed move to flyweight that saw him fall to Kai Kara-France.
The former bantamweight champ, who won the title in a career-defining performance against Dominick Cruz in 2016, is 2-5 since. The 31-year old Team Alpha Male fighter’s other recent victory was a knockout of Raphael Assuncao in 2020.
Mario Bautista has won four straight fights, while winning his last three of those by submission. He’s snagged a Performance of the Night bonus during that stretch, after putting away Benito Lopez with an arm-triangle last November.
Bautista is 6-2 inside the octagon through eight fights. Prior to joining the UFC in 2019, he had competed for LFA and Combate Americas, among other promotions.
The UFC’s August 19 card currently has no other fights beyond Cody Garbrandt vs. Mario Bautista reported for it.
