Cody Brundage is excited to fight one more time in 2022.
Brundage was supposed to face Rodolfo Vieira in November but the Brazilian pulled out on fight week. The news was disappointing for Brundage as no replacement opponent was found – despite him being offered one.
With that, he didn’t expect to fight again in 2022. But, when Michal Oleksiejczuk’s opponent pulled out, Brundage got the call and jumped at the chance to fight him at UFC Vegas 66.
“I was at practice on Monday, my last practice, and then I checked my phone and one of my coaches said I needed to call him,” Brundage said on Just Scrap Radio on BJPENN.com. “I called him and he’s like he’s out and they will try and find me a replacement. So, I was like okay I’m not flying to Vegas until I have a replacement and they offered me that (Antonio) Trocoli guy who was supposed to fight OSP and it didn’t seem like a smart idea. He has never made 185 in his career, he’s a 6’6” southpaw with an 84-inch reach on four days’ notice. I didn’t think it was a good time and I asked for more time so the fight didn’t happen.
“They then told me probably February so I went home for a few days and then got back into the gym,” Brundage continued. “Michal’s opponent then fell out and I’m familiar with him as I cornered against him when Dustin Jacoby fought him. It was a fight that I liked and we went with that.”
As Brundage mentioned, he did help his teammate Dustin Jacoby prepare for Oleksiejczuk which is a benefit for him. Yet, he knows he and Jacoby are different fighters so Jacoby’s game plan will not be the same as his.
Instead, Cody Brundage is confident he will be able to implement his wrestling and eventually finish Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC Vegas 66.
“He’s super durable and has good pressure but is not dynamic. He’s a southpaw boxer, he’s not really going to kick, clinch or wrestle,” Brundage said. “He hasn’t had to do that, but being dynamic will throw him off and that leads to me finding a finish. He has shown some weaknesses in areas I have excelled in. I don’t know when it would be but I think I can get him out of there and get him in areas he’s not comfortable in than I am. I think I am more well-rounded than him which bodes well for me… He has holes in his game that I think I can exploit.”
If Brundage pulls off the upset and finishes Oleksiejczuk he isn’t sure what would be next for him. However, he does think it sets him up to have a big 2023.
“It just sets him up for a great year next year. If I do go in there, handle business and get a finish, that’s three finishes in three fights,” Brundage said. “That’s good for anybody, and going into next year my goal is another three or four fights and I’m hovering around that top-15 mark. By the end of the year, top 15. I don’t want to get there too early as I’ve been fighting for less than five years. So, I want to hide behind wins before I get to that level.”
Do you think Cody Brundage will finish Michal Oleksiejczuk at UFC Vegas 66?