Just because you did well in one avenue doesn’t guarantee you a similar fate in another. Former UFC bantamweight Cody Stamann found that out pretty quickly this past Saturday. The UFC veteran went through 31 pro MMA fights and 15 UFC bouts without ever being knocked out. However, that streak came to an end at MMT 11 at the Masonic Temple in Detroit, Michigan.

33-year-old British-Canadian striker Jake Peacock, who was born without a right lower arm, stopped Stamann inside one round in what was Stamann’s Muay Thai debut.

While Cody Stamann thought his years of MMA experience would prove to his advantage, Jake Peacock dealt him a reality check almost immediately.

The one-armed fighter backed the UFC veteran against the ropes with a barrage of punches, kicks, and elbows before landing a clean left hook that sent him crashing to the canvas. Stamann, known for his legendary chin that had helped him evade a knockout in his professional MMA career, couldn’t beat the referee’s 10-count this time. And just like that, the 37-year-old was knocked out inside the first round.

So, what went wrong for the UFC veteran?

Peacock’s approach to striking proved difficult for the 22-8 fighter to read. Born without a right lower arm, the British-Canadian wraps and gloves his shorter limb, using it as an unconventional rangefinder. He repeatedly tapped Stamann’s guard with it to disrupt his vision and gauge distance before launching body and head kicks.

The ONE Championship veteran also attacked Cody Stamann’s lead leg with calf kicks, limiting his movement and making it harder for him to establish his boxing. Stamann’s traditional MMA stance was built around defending takedowns and moving into punching range. But with no wrestling threat to worry about, Peacock could exploit that stance and dictate the exchanges. By the time he unleashed the finishing combination, Stamann had few answers.

Jake Peacock, however, was quick to acknowledge the experience of the man he had just beaten. Speaking after the fight, he explained that he had wanted to finish the fight quickly rather than allow Cody Stamann to settle in and read him.

“Big respect for Cody, he’s accomplished so much,” Peacock said after the fight. “He’s been in there with absolute killers. Some of the best in the world, a ranked UFC fighter. So, my job was to get the job done quickly, not mess about. I wanted to take him out, make a point. There are levels to striking, There are levels in this sport, and I am the level up there.”

It was a statement backed by more than just one impressive night.

Jake Peacock won the Road to ONE Canada tournament, earning a six-figure contract with ONE Championship. He also defeated Road to ONE Japan tournament winner Shinji Suzuki in the third round at ONE 171 and has claimed two WBC Muay Thai Canadian welterweight titles.

But what made the result particularly surprising was how confident Cody Stamann had been about making the transition to Muay Thai.

“Without this sounding arrogant, (Muay Thai) is easier on your body (than MMA), I feel,” Stamann had said during the pre-fight press conference.

There was some logic behind that assessment. Stamann had spent years facing elite MMA competition and believed he could use that experience against a striker.

But Peacock presented a different challenge. And while Stamann’s UFC experience was a significant part of his résumé, it was not enough to bridge the gap between the two fighters in a different combat sport.

How Cody Stamann fared inside the UFC Octagon

Stamann made his UFC debut in July 2017 against Terrion Ware, winning by unanimous decision. He followed that with victories over Tom Duquesnoy and Bryan Caraway before stepping into a difficult stretch against some of the division’s top names.

He lost to Aljamain Sterling in September 2018, drew with Song Yadong in December 2019, and suffered a unanimous decision defeat to Merab Dvalishvili in May 2021. Sterling and Dvalishvili would both go on to become UFC bantamweight champions. Stamann also suffered a first-round guillotine choke loss to Said Nurmagomedov in January 2022.

There were still notable moments during his run. In June 2022, Stamann stopped former WEC champion Eddie Wineland by TKO in just 59 seconds, earning the only Performance of the Night bonus of his UFC career. But three consecutive losses to Douglas Silva de Andrade, Taylor Lapilus, and Da’Mon Blackshear between 2023 and 2024 ultimately brought his UFC stint to an end, with the promotion removing him from its roster in February 2025.

While he did manage to get back in the win column against Shawn Tarlton at Legends of Combat 5 in late 2025, the move to Muay Thai offered him a chance to start another chapter in his fighting career. On paper, his experience and durability made him an intriguing opponent for Peacock. But unfortunately, things didn’t go his way.

Cody Stamann had spent years proving he could survive against elite MMA competition. This time, however, he was facing a specialist on his own terms. And even his considerable experience, confidence, and reputation for durability couldn’t make up the difference.