UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan has sent a scathing message to Cody Garbrandt, who recently laid out plans to drop down to the flyweight division.<\/p>\n
Garbrandt, who recently burst back into bantamweight title contention with a knockout win over Raphael Assuncao, discussed his plans for a drop to flyweight in a recent interview with ESPN<\/a>.<\/p>\n While he is currently one of the frontrunners for the next shot at Yan at bantamweight, he also believes he could slide into the No. 1 contender spot<\/a> at flyweight, where Deiveson Figueiredo now rules.<\/p>\n \u201cAs far as I know [I’m the No. 1 contender], I don\u2019t have a contract in hand,\u201d Garbrandt said. \u201cWe\u2019re trying to wait on that with Ali [Abdelaziz] and Dana and Sean [Shelby] and Mick [Maynard]. I\u2019ve actually been vocal about going to 125 for quite some time now. We spoke about it in the past before the Assuncao fight and I feel like it\u2019s great. I\u2019m able to do it now, early still in my career. I just turned 29. I\u2019m able to go to 125, challenge and win that title there, and then go back up to 135 pounds and compete with the best of them there.<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like it\u2019s a time in my life and my career where it\u2019s very pivotal for me to make this transition into flyweight and bantamweight,” Garbrandt added. “I don\u2019t think a lot of the flyweight guys could come up to bantamweight and compete at the elite level that I am, so I\u2019m very blessed I\u2019m able to do that. So yeah, hopefully I get this shot against Figueroa, Figueiredo – whatever his name is. Great guy. I think that he\u2019s a tough, tough competitor, I just think that I\u2019m way more skillful than him and excited for the challenge at task. Hopefully we\u2019ll get it done and I can get in the octagon before this year\u2019s up again.\u201d<\/p>\n Yan, who had a tense back-stage encounter with Garbrandt last year, is not impressed by his rival’s plans for a drop to flyweight.<\/p>\n The champ responded to Garbrandt’s flyweight ambition on Twitter.<\/p>\n That moment when No Chin was walking to take a piss but ended peeing himself. You only bark but don\u2019t bite and now you running away to flyweight division. Shut up while I will fight contenders who have balls to challenge me. https:\/\/t.co\/aV0YkKOJJw<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/yvp1ompIxq<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Petr \u201cNo Mercy\u201d Yan (@PetrYanUFC) July 29, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n