UFC champ Cody Garbrandt content coaching 'TUF 25' against a 'generic version of Dominick Cruz'

UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt didn’t get the fight he expected, but he said he’s perfectly content coaching with the one he’s got.

Back in December at UFC 207, Garbrandt (11-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) claimed the belt and dethroned the world’s top 135-pound fighter with a remarkable performance against Dominick Cruz (22-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC).

The fight followed weeks of heated talk. And though Garbrandt used his post-fight interview to call out ex-champ T.J. Dillashaw (14-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC), whom he’s now coaching against on “The Ultimate Fighter 25,” he was surprised Cruz didn’t make a bigger push for an immediate rematch.

“He turned it down,” said Garbrandt, who’s No. 1 in the USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA bantamweight rankings (and No. 7 pound-for-pound). “He said he’d wait.”

Immediately after UFC 207, Cruz opted against an immediate rematch and suggested Dillashaw, who’s 2-0 since losing the belt to Cruz in early 2016, should get the next shot.

“T.J. wants next, and I have no problem with that,” Cruz said. “The guy’s very good himself. We’ve had our exchange of words, and I wouldn’t take back one thing that I’ve said about anybody in the division.”

Cruz recently dismissed a callout from fellow contender Raphael Assuncao (24-5 MMA, 8-2 UFC) and suggested he’ll simply wait for “TUF 25” to conclude, at which time Garbrandt and Dillashaw are scheduled to fight at an as-of-yet-announced event. Cruz will the fight the winner.

Garbrandt, though, said he remains a bit perplexed as to why Cruz didn’t just push for an immediate rematch after UFC 207.

“If I go in there and talk a lot of (expletive) and the kid comes in there and beats me up like that, I’m at least going to try again because I have a fighter’s heart,” he said. “And I don’t feel like Dominick does. I feel like I broke Dominick in that fight, and I actually don’t think Dominick will be the same.

“I’ve very content with fighting T.J. I’m happy to fight T.J. I want to fight T.J. He’s is not a good person. He’s not a good person, and he’s kind of a generic version of Dominick Cruz.”

For more from Garbrandt, including his “TUF 25” coaching experience and how he said he remains grounded while a world champion, check out the video above.

And for more on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.