At UFC 207, Cody Garbrandt not only talked the talk, but he walked the walk to the tune of a unanimous-decision win over Dominick Cruz in the co-main event to become the new champion of the UFC's bantamweight division.
Fox Sports tweeted out the final scorecards:
#UFC207 Official Results: Cody Garbrandt def. Dominick Cruz (48-46, 48-47, 48-46) by unanimous decision #AndNew
— FOX Sports: UFC (@UFCONFOX) December 31, 2016
The opening round of the bout definitely set the tone for a fun fight. Garbrandt, who did plenty to show his disdain for the champion in the buildup to the fight, appeared loose and ready to show his best stuff in the spotlight.
His confidence and ability to land some slick boxing was enough for MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwani to award him the first round:
10-9 Garbrandt after 1. An absolute riveting first round. Garbrandt confident and calm. Crowd behind him too.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 31, 2016
That tone would continue in the second round, as both fighters were willing to engage in exchanges and were landing heavy shots at times. Ultimately, it was a knockdown from Cruz that swung the score for Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times:
Garbrandt got better as the second continued, but early knockdown by Cruz gives him the round. 19-19.
— Lance Pugmire (@latimespugmire) December 31, 2016
The UFC passed along one of the more entertaining exchanges in the second frame:
LOOK AT THESE TWO GUYS!!!! #UFC207 pic.twitter.com/2gmUwvuTyz
— #UFC207 (@ufc) December 31, 2016
Despite the potentially lost round for Garbrandt, he came out in the third round with even more poise and confidence. He started to land heavier shots with more regularity while obviously feeling comfortable enough to taunt Cruz after nearly every exchange.
Garbrandt scored a knockdown of his own with a massive left had in the third frame, via the UFC:
OHHHHHHH @Cody_NoLove drops Cruz in the third!!! #UFC207 pic.twitter.com/Z7WDbwzQRB
— #UFC207 (@ufc) December 31, 2016
In the fourth round, it became abundantly clear this would be a masterclass performance for the young challenger. No Love became even more difficult for Cruz to find, and Garbrandt began knocking down the champion on a more regular basis.
Helwani once again praised Garbrandt's skills and his performance overall as he went into the fifth round with an insurmountable lead on the scorecards:
Cody's hand speed and head movement is on another level tonight. A virtuoso performance.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) December 31, 2016
No Love didn't necessarily look to end the fight in the fifth round, but he continued to put on the finishing touches of a fight that could and should launch him into stardom, as noted by Brett Okamoto of ESPN.com:
Cody Garbrandt is going to be the new bantamweight champion and possibly the UFC's next breakout star.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) December 31, 2016
The buildup to this title fight was marked with plenty of trash talk between the Alpha Male product and the now former champion. Garbrandt wasn't shy about goading Cruz into a fight despite Garbrandt's lack of experience.
But after the post-fight interviews, the social media beef and multiple on-camera run-ins, Garbrandt made good on his talk with a brilliant performance that now sees the belt around his waist. It's a fight that will assuredly launch No Love into the spotlight, but that's a place the new champ says he feels comfortable.
“I was born for this,” Garbrandt said, per Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. “I feel the bigger the stage, the pressure starts to get to others and they crumble. I feel like this is where I shine the brightest and perform the best.”
Garbrandt is now the king of a division that will certainly put his skills to the test. The division hasn't seen much turnover with the belt. Cruz brought the title over from the WEC when the organization became absorbed by the UFC. Only Renan Barao and T.J. Dillashaw held the title between Cruz's reigns with the belt.
Now, that title belongs to Garbrandt, who has star potential if he can keep racking up the wins against the likes of Cruz.
The 25-year-old certainly knows how to build up a fight. The animosity between Garbrandt and Cruz no doubt played a role in the Team Alpha Male product getting a shot at the title over the likes of Dillashaw, John Lineker or Jimmie Rivera.
Now he'll get to take those marketing skills to the next level of champion.
A potential matchup with former teammate Dillashaw could be in the works after his UFC 207 win over Lineker.
Of course, the feud between Cruz and Garbrandt likely isn't over. It isn't often that a champion with the kind of credentials that Cruz has doesn't eventually get a rematch if it isn't an immediate shot at redemption.
Given the rivalry these two have cultivated, it wouldn't be shocking if the very man Garbrandt beat for the title isn't the first guy who gets the opportunity to take it back from him.
