Last Friday, in the co-main event of UFC 207, Cody Garbrandt put forth a masterful performance, swiping the bantamweight title from the waist of Dominick Cruz with a clear-cut unanimous decision win. With this win, logic would suggest that Garbrandt will now set his sights on top contender TJ Dillashaw, or even on a rematch with Cruz. Apparently, however, the new champ has his sites set on “money fight” with reigning featherweight king Jose Aldo.
Garbrandt made this admission on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour.
“He has wins over my teammates, he’s a legend, and I’d like to test his chin,” Garbrandt told host Ariel Helwani of a potential scrap with Aldo. “I know I hit hard and I’m just getting started.”
“I’m young enough to go up and I’ll fight anybody. To be honest, I truly believe that I’m ready to fight and I believe that I go out there and I put on a performance, and I’m a draw, and I want the biggest money fight for me. I think I saw Jose Aldo say that he’d like to fight me, and you know, I’d like to test his chin. Like I said, he’s got wins over my teammates and I want to get every one of those back. There’s so many fights for me. I just gotta sit down with my management team, Sean [Shelby], Dana [White], and see what fight’s the best for me and the biggest money fight that will get us all rich, get us all paid. That’s what I want to do.”
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When asked if he was worried about depriving Dillashaw of the title shot he’s earned, Garbrandt didn’t seem to concerned. In a perfect world, he said he wants Aldo, or even lightweight champ Conor McGregor.
“[I want] whatever benefits me,” he said. “I’m the champ. I just went out there and beat one of the best pound-for-pound, he’s been on the pound-for-pound list for however long now. I want the biggest draw. I think Jose Aldo. I want the biggest challenge. I’m in this sport to challenge myself. I just beat Dominick handily. I’m ready for a bigger challenge. I think Jose Aldo is tough, I respect him, but I want to test his chin. I hit like a Mack Truck.”
“I think that he went out there and said he wanted to fight me to. Like I said, I just have to sit down with Dana and my management team and Shawn, and see what the best is for everybody.”
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