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“Things I’ve Gone Through in Life Have Been Tough” – Former UFC Champion Cody Garbrandt Opens Up About Mental Health Struggle in Past 16 Months Following Triumphant Return

Published 03/07/2023, 6:28 AM EST

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Cody Garbrandt made a triumphant return to the octagon at UFC 285. He defeated Trevin Jones via a unanimous decision in a match that almost didn’t happen. Garbrandt mentioned in the press conference later that he would face several hurdles before making it into the octagon last weekend. However, he has provided an update on his situation.

Garbrandt was one of the biggest UFC stars in 2016 when he won the bantamweight championship from Dominick Cruz. However, his UFC career started to dwindle after losing two consecutive fights against T.J. Dillashaw and losing his championship in the process.

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‘No Love’ was also on a 2-fight losing streak before his victory at UFC 285. Moreover, he addressed the situation where he hurt his neck coming into the fight against Trevin Jones. Garbrandt had lost the sensation in his entire left arm due to it.

However, he managed to grab an important win to stabilize his UFC career. ‘No Love’ appeared in a video clip on social media of being interviewed and asked about how he was doing. He appeared appreciative of that question.

Cody Garbrandt has gone through a tough sixteen months

‘No Love’ seemed happy at first about the win and mentioned feeling down during the last sixteen months. He said, “Yeah, obviously it’s great to be in a win, you know. But how the sixteen months and things I’ve gone through in life have been tough.”

Garbrandt then mentioned his soon-to-be 5-year-old son. “I am forever grateful. My son is healthy. [I] thank God every day that he’s healthy,” said the former champion. He added, “Such an unbelievable young man [he’s] growing into. He turns 5 next week. So, I mean that’s it.”

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Garbrandt added that his son’s health matters to him more than anything. He said, “This is the icing on the cake for me …as long as he’s healthy, taken care of, [has] food in his belly and a roof over his head, I’ll continue to do whatever I have to be there for him and show how much I love him.”

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READ MORE: Mike Tyson’s Son Brands Jon Jones as the GOAT of MMA Following UFC 285 Heavyweight Title Victory

Garbrandt exploded into the UFC scene after an 11-win undefeated streak. However, he lost his shine over the years. He also went through a tough divorce with his ex-wife Danny Pimsanguan, which he announced earlier this year.

Moreover, the UFC commentator and renowned podcaster, Joe Rogan, said while commentating that Garbrandt’s performance didn’t impress him enough to consider ‘No Love’ as a serious contender. Viewers will have to see what transpires in the future.

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What are your thoughts on the current state of Cody Garbrandt’s UFC career? Let us know in the comments below.

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Written by:

Himanga Mahanta

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Himanga is a UFC author at EssentiallySports. He interned as a WWE author at Sportsmanor before joining EssentiallySports to pursue his interest as a sports journalist. Himanga is a big fan of UFC's Conor McGregor and considers him the most entertaining combat sports athlete of the 21st century.
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Edited by:

Rohini Kottu