Cody Garbrandt has always been known for fighting through chaos. At UFC 326, that reputation somehow reached another level. The former bantamweight champion picked up a much-needed win over China’s Xiao Long, but the moment everyone kept talking about had nothing to do with a knockout or slick technique. It was the moment Garbrandt got kicked so hard in the groin that he seemingly vomited inside the Octagon and then still chose to continue fighting.

‘No Love’ entered the fight with pressure on his shoulders. The 34-year-old former champion was coming off back-to-back losses, first to Deiveson Figueiredo at UFC 300 and then to Raoni Barcelos at UFC on ESPN 69. From the opening round, the fight was competitive. Garbrandt pressed forward early, trying to back Long to the fence, while his opponent relied on movement and quick kicks from range.

Both men had moments. Long clipped Garbrandt with a head kick in the first round, while Garbrandt answered with sharp boxing and a nasty elbow during a clinch exchange. The pace stayed high, and neither fighter managed to clearly pull away after two rounds. That’s when things got weird.

Early in the third round, Xiao Long landed a low kick that forced a pause in the action. Garbrandt took the standard recovery time and gave the referee a thumbs-up to resume. Seconds later, Long landed low again. This time, the effect was immediate. Cody Garbrandt dropped to the canvas and appeared to vomit inside the cage while officials brought in a bucket.

Referee Herb Dean stepped in and deducted a point from Long. Moments later, after the fight resumed, Long landed low again. Dean deducted a second point and warned that another foul would result in disqualification.

Suddenly, the entire fight flipped. ‘No Love’ went from possibly being down on the scorecards to suddenly having the advantage because of the deductions. Fired up, the former champion pointed to the center of the cage and charged forward, looking to trade. The final minutes turned into a gritty exchange before the fight reached the judges.

When the scores were read, Garbrandt walked away with a unanimous decision win (28-27, 28-27, 28-27). It snapped his two-fight losing streak and potentially gave him a fresh start in the crowded bantamweight division. But online, fans were talking about something else entirely.

Fans laud Cody Garbrandt as he pulls off a massive victory at UFC 329 despite suffering groin strikes

One fan wrote, “Garbrandt just got kicked in the nuts so hard that he vomited & is still continuing the fight.” That moment summed up the shock viewers felt watching the scene unfold live. Fighters regularly deal with accidental low blows, but seeing someone physically throw up inside the Octagon and then continue fighting is rare even by MMA standards. Within moments, the clip spread quickly across social media

Another fan reacted by saying, “Garbrandt throwing up and still wants to fight. MMA fighters are built different.” There’s truth to that sentiment. Fighters routinely absorb punishment that would sideline most athletes in other sports. The bantamweight division is especially brutal because the pace is so high. ‘No Love’s willingness to jump right back into the fight after the foul reinforced the “fighter mentality” fans often talk about.

One viewer focused on the foul itself, writing, “That was a hell of a nut shot… my god… Garbrandt is P—D.” And honestly, that reaction wasn’t exaggerated. When the fight restarted, Garbrandt looked visibly fired up. At one point, he literally pointed to the center of the cage and rushed forward, looking to trade. It wasn’t just adrenaline. Fighters often feel a sense of urgency after a foul like that, especially if they believe the momentum of the fight has shifted.

Not every reaction was sympathetic, though. One fan complained, “CBS has been a disaster. Brundage/Johnson fight was terrible. Now we got Cody Garbrandt throwing up.” Broadcast complaints tend to surface whenever a card includes controversial moments. Between foul stoppages and lackluster fights, some viewers felt the pacing of the broadcast suffered. Still, those unpredictable moments are also what generate viral clips and attention after the event.

Another fan joked, “Apparently, the trick to getting Cody to fight is a swift punt to the bag.” It’s the kind of sarcastic humor MMA fans lean on when fights get bizarre and with how fired up ‘No Love’ looked after the fouls, it’s not hard to see where the jokes are coming from.

Still, for Cody Garbrandt, the win matters more than the chaos surrounding it. After losing two straight fights, another defeat could have been disastrous for his future in the promotion. Instead, he leaves UFC 326 with a victory and a viral moment that reminded everyone just how tough fighters can be.