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Morning Report: Cody Garbrandt says Dominick Cruz wants to move to 145 pounds to avoid him
- Updated: August 1, 2016
Cody Garbrandt is hungry.
The No. 8-ranked bantamweight in the UFC launched himself into title discussion with a sizzling knockout over undefeated prospect Thomas Almeida back in May. After that fight, Garbrandt, who trains at Uriah Faber’s Team Alpha Male, joined in on the verbal sparring between Faber, Dominick Cruz, and T.J. Dillashaw as Faber was building up for his title shot against Cruz. After Cruz dominated Faber at UFC 199 to retain the belt, Faber began pitching Garbrandt for a title shot and Garbrandt has run with it. Last weekend, he continued to try and talk his way into a title fight when he went on Inside MMA on AXS TV and spoke about the current UFC bantamweight champion.
“Dominick Cruz can’t knock anybody out. He’s got grapes for hands…Dominick knows that I’m coming for him, like everyone. He’s the champion so he has an X on his back but I’m definitely in his head and he knows he doesn’t want to fight me. That’s why he wants to move up, talk about moving up to [145] and fighting some other people. He’s trying to either get out of the division or retire before he has to fight me.”
Recently, Cruz indicated that he isn’t particularly interested in fighting anyone at 135 right now, joining the increasing line of fighters in pursuit of big money superfights. Specifically, Cruz is targeting fights at 145 in pursuit of holding two titles. He mentioned Jose Aldo and Conor McGregor as opponents he would like to face. He also expressed an interest in rematching flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson if Johnson wants to pursue a superfight. Conspicuously absent from this list of potential opponents is rising star Garbrandt. But it isn’t Cruz’s refusal to acknowledge him that makes “No Love” dislike Cruz; it’s his style.
“I just think the guy’s a dork…. I don’t like his style. I feel like he’s a point fighter, he goes in there trying to point and take everyone to decisions. He doesn’t go in there and be a true fighter. He goes in there and just tries to out point people. This is the fight game. We come out here for finishes.”
Cruz wasn’t the only fighter to face the ire of Garbrandt though. Garbrandt also took the time to respond to former teammate T.J. Dillashaw who opined that should Garbrandt fight Cruz, Cruz would beat him up.
“T.J. too. He can get it too. T.J., Dominick, all those guys can get it. They talk sh*t but they know the real truth. They know I’m the lion in this division and I’m coming to eat them all.”
Garbrandt faces Takeya Mizugaki at UFC 202, Aug. 20 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Should he win that fight, then maybe we will see if his trash talking pays dividends.
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EXTRA CREDIT READING …
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