Cody Garbrandt pens cryptic message after latest loss at UFC 329

Former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt isn’t ready to hang up the gloves despite another lopsided defeat at UFC 329.

Cody Garbrandt lost his third fight in his last four appearances against Adrian Yanez last Saturday at UFC 329. The former UFC bantamweight champion lost by TKO just minutes into their fight, looking sluggish and slow compared to the youthful Yanez.

As the official decision was read, Garbrandt took off his gloves, leaving many to speculate that the former titleholder was calling it a career after UFC 329. Garbrandt has struggled to reclaim the form that saw him earn wins over the likes of Dominick Cruz, Raphael Assuncao, and Thomas Almeida earlier in his career.

Despite Garbrandt’s retirement tease, the former UFC champion seems to be targeting at least one more fight in the Octagon, as he hinted in a cryptic post-fight message.

Cody Garbrandt walks back retirement tease after UFC 329 KO

In a recent Instagram post, Garbrandt broke his social media silence following UFC 329.

“There are moments in life when hope fades, and the weight of endless problems makes the path unclear,” Garbrandt said.

“But remember this — you only lose when you choose to give up. Let your struggles be your fuel, not your downfall. Don’t let the storm break you. Let it strengthen your will to rise and keep fighting.”

Garbrandt’s most recent victory came against Xiao Long, albeit in controversial fashion, at UFC 326 earlier this year. He hasn’t won consecutive fights since back-to-back wins over Trevin Jones and Brian Kelleher in 2023.

After winning his first 10 professional fights, Garbrandt showcased one of the best performances in a UFC title fight when he defeated Dominick Cruz at UFC 207. Despite the win, Garbrandt would lose the bantamweight title in his first defense against TJ Dillashaw, before falling in their immediate UFC 227 rematch.

Will Cody Garbrandt ever return to the bantamweight Top 15? Let us know your thoughts on his future in the comments!