Garbrandt was born in Uhrichsville, Ohio, on July 7, 1991, and raised there mostly by his mother Jessica. Cody is ten months younger than his brother Zach, who he grew up constantly fighting.[3] Garbrandt has claimed in several interviews that his drug addict father was never in the picture, spending most of his life in prison.[3] Garbrandt's parents separated after a domestic abuse incident when Cody was one year old.[3] Eventually, Cody was adopted by his mother's now ex-husband at the age of 10.[9]
At the ages of four and five, Cody and Zach, respectively, had already been dabbling into boxing with their uncle Robert Meese who was an Olympic alternate in the sport.[10] However, their mother was concerned about the boys becoming punch-drunk thus forbidding boxing and directing them towards wrestling.[3]
At Claymont High School, Garbrandt competed in wrestling and football, winning a state championship as a freshman in 2007, by defeating Zach Neibert, 4–2,[11] and was a runner-up in 2008.[12] In football, Garbrandt won All–State honors as a linebacker during his junior season.[3] After failing to claim the second state championship, Garbrandt became the NHSCA Sophomore National runner–up[13] and subsequently stopped wrestling and convinced his mother to let him start training boxing seriously.[3] Over about six years, Garbrandt compiled a 32–0 record as an amateur boxer.[3]
Despite not competing in wrestling during his final two years of high school, Garbrandt competed at the national tournament as a senior and placed fifth, claiming All–American honors and receiving interest from several NCAA Division I schools, such as Penn State and Rutgers.[14] He was then recruited by the Michigan State Spartans, but due to academic reasons, he ended up at Newberry College, a Division II school, before dropping out for academic and personal reasons, explaining;[6]
“I guess my heart wasn’t into (wrestling) anymore. I was doing boxing, and that’s what I wanted to do.”[15]
After dropping out, Garbrandt sold marijuana, worked as a bouncer, and eventually completed coal miner training in order to work in the field familiar to his family.[9] However, he decided to commit completely to his amateur MMA career, which was afoot after helping several MMA camps with wrestling.[16]
Mixed martial arts career
Early career
Garbrandt ended up taking his first amateur bout in 2009 and compiled an amateur MMA record of 6–2 before making his professional debut in 2012. Prior to his finish of James Porter in May 2014, he moved from Ohio to Sacramento, California to train at Team Alpha Male in an attempt to further his career.[17]
After a first-round finish of Charles Sanford in October 2014, he signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship in the fall of 2014.[18]
Ultimate Fighting Championship
Garbrandt made his promotional debut against Marcus Brimage on January 3, 2015, at UFC 182.[19] He won the fight via TKO in the third round.[20]
Garbrandt faced Henry Briones on July 11, 2015, at UFC 189.[21] He won the fight by unanimous decision, going the distance for the first time in his professional career.[22]
Garbrandt was expected to face long-time veteran John Lineker on February 21, 2016, at UFC Fight Night 83.[23] However, Lineker pulled out of the fight during the week, after contracting Dengue Fever, and he was replaced by Augusto Mendes.[24][25] Garbrandt won the fight via TKO in the first round.[26]
Garbrandt faced fellow undefeated prospect Thomas Almeida on May 29, 2016, headlining UFC Fight Night 88.[27] He won the fight by knockout in the first round and also earned a Performance of the Night bonus.[28][29]
Garbrandt next faced Takeya Mizugaki on August 20, 2016, at UFC 202.[30] He won the fight via TKO in the opening minute of the first round.[31]
UFC Bantamweight Championship
Garbrandt faced Dominick Cruz for the UFC Bantamweight Championship on December 30, 2016, at UFC 207.[32] Garbrandt won the fight by unanimous decision after knocking Cruz down twice and nearly finishing him in the fourth round.[33]
In January 2017, the UFC announced that Garbrandt would be one of the coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 25 opposite former UFC Bantamweight champion (and former Team Alpha Male teammate) T.J. Dillashaw, with the two expected to face each other on July 8, 2017, at UFC 213.[34][35] However, the bout was scrapped on May 23, after Garbrandt sustained a back injury.[36] The bout was rescheduled and eventually took place on November 4, 2017, at UFC 217.[37] Despite knocking him down at the end of the first, Dillashaw rallied in the second round and defeated Garbrandt via technical knockout, marking his first loss in his professional career and losing the title.[38]
Garbrandt then faced T.J. Dillashaw in a rematch for the UFC Bantamweight Championship on August 4, 2018, at UFC 227.[39] He lost the fight via knockout in the first round.[40]
Post UFC Championship
Garbrandt made his return against Pedro Munhoz on March 2, 2019 at UFC 235.[41] In a frenetic and short bout, Garbrandt was knocked out in the first round.[42] Both participants received the Fight of the Night bonus award.[43]
Garbrandt was scheduled to face Raphael Assunção as the co-main event on March 28, 2020 at UFC on ESPN 8.[44] However, Garbrandt pulled out of the fight on March 12 due to kidney problems.[45] Instead the pair fought each other on June 6, 2020 at UFC 250.[46] Garbrandt got back into the winning column in big fashion, winning the bout via one-punch knockout in the second round.[47] This win earned him the Performance of the Night.[48]
Garbrandt was scheduled to face Rani Yahya on July 9, 2022, at UFC on ESPN 39.[56] However, Yahya withdrew in mid June due to a neck injury.[57] The bout with Yahya was rescheduled and was expected to take place on October 1, 2022 at UFC Fight Night 211.[58] In turn, Yahya withdrew again in mid-September for unknown reasons.[59] While seeking a new opponent, Garbrandt also suffered a training injury, pulling him from the card.[60]
Garbrandt was scheduled to face Julio Arce on March 4, 2023 at UFC 285.[61] However, Arce withdrew in late January due to a knee injury.[62] and he was replaced by Trevin Jones.[63] He won the fight via unanimous decision.[64]
Garbrandt was scheduled to face Mario Bautista on August 19, 2023 at UFC 292.[65] However, Garbrandt withdrew a week before the event due to injury,[66] and was replaced by Da'Mon Blackshear.[67]
Garbrandt faced Brian Kelleher on December 16, 2023 at UFC 296.[68] He won the fight via knockout in the first round.[69]
Garbrandt faced Deiveson Figueiredo on April 13, 2024, at UFC 300.[70] He lost the fight by rear-naked choke submission in the second round, marking his first loss by submission.[71]
Garbrandt was scheduled to face Miles Johns on October 12, 2024 at UFC Fight Night 244.[72] However, the bout was moved to UFC Fight Night 247 on November 9, 2024, for unknown reasons.[73] In turn, Garbrandt withdrew from the bout due to undisclosed reasons and the bout was scrapped.[74]
Personal life
During Garbrandt's run with the MMA promotion Pinnacle FC, he met and began dating Danny Pimsanguan. The couple eventually married in July 2017. In October, the couple announced they were expecting their first child.[75] In March 2018, the couple announced the birth of their son.[76] Garbrandt announced in 2023 that he and his wife have divorced.[77]
