Cody Garbrandt targeting November return to the Octagon

Although former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt was unable to compete at UFC Fight Night 155 in Sacramento, he attended the event as a guest fighter and spoke to the media to give an update on his health.

Speaking to reporters backstage, Garbrandt said he hopes to return to the Octagon before the end of the year. The Team Alpha Male product has not competed since getting knocked out by Pedro Munhoz at UFC 235 in March. It was his third straight loss inside the Octagon, all by knockout.

“I’m feeling great. I’m looking forward to a November return,” Garbrandt said. “I just got cleared. I ended up tearing my hand. I tore the tendon in my wrist. It was a pretty extensive injury in the Pedro Munhoz fight. I don’t know what happened in there, we were in a little bit of a gun battle and it just didn’t heal.”

When he does return, Garbrandt said he hopes to fight a top-ranked opponent in his comeback fight. He gave out a list of a few notable names he’d like to do battle with.

“This November I’d like to return and anyone in the top five can get it,” Garbrandt said. “Dominick Cruz would be a fun rematch. He hasn’t fought since I beat him and he’s had a lot of injuries. Raphael Assuncao. That Russian kid (Petr Yan). There’s so many dudes I’d love to fight.”

Although Garbrandt has had to sit on the sidelines and missed out on the opportunity to headline UFC Sacramento, deep down he believes everything happens for a reason.

“I’m blessed to spend time with my family and my 16-month-old son. This is a blessing in disguise that my career’s taken this halt,” Garbrandt said. “I’ve sat at home, trained, and been with my family and watched my son grow. That’s the most important thing to me.”

Soon, Garbrandt will be back to doing what he does best, and that’s fighting inside the Octagon. November can’t come soon enough, but he’s enjoying his time off while he has it.

Who should Cody Garbrandt fight in his return to the Octagon this November?