UFC bantamweight champion Sean O'Malley didn’t expect Cody Garbrandt to issue Deiveson Figueiredo a challenge.
Former bantamweight champion Garbrandt (14-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) got his wish when he was matched up with former flyweight champ Figueiredo (22-3-1 MMA, 11-3-1 UFC) in a 135-pound bout April 13 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. O’Malley questions “No Love’s” decision to call out the dangerous Brazilian.
“I’m so surprised Cody called for that fight,” O’Malley said on his “TimboSugarShow.” “It shows either one, he’s really dumb, or shows you two, he’s f*cking really confident and really mentally still there.”
O’Malley (17-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) and Garbrandt have traded their fair share of barbs in the past. Garbrandt is on a winning streak for the first time since becoming bantamweight champion in 2016 after back-to-back victories over Trevin Jones and most recently Brian Kelleher by knockout at UFC 296.
“They’re both so quick and fast,” O’Malley said. “The way Figueiredo sits down on those punches. Cody said I was jealous of him the other day. I was like, ‘Holy sh*t, is that CTE?’ It’s got to be. Jealous? Pull up his Sherdog (profile). No, don’t. It’s embarrassing.”
O’Malley makes his first title defense at UFC 299 when he runs things back with Marlon Vera (21-8-1 MMA, 15-7 UFC) in the March 9 main event at Kaseya Center in Miami.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 300.
