The latest product of Team-Alpha Male, Cody Garbrandt shook up the UFC bantamweight division with his stunning KO of the Thomas Almedia at UFC Fight Night 88 - but just who is Cody Garbrandt?
Born in Ohio, Cody 'No Love' Garbrandt began boxing at aged 15, and holds an amateur boxing record of 31-1. Coupled with a state wrestling championship as a freshman, the 24-year-old transition to MMA has gone smoothly thus far.
His knockout over the then undefeated Brazilian Muay-Thai striker, Thomas Almedia, took Garbrandt's record to 9-0 - including 8 finished, 7 of which have come in the first round.
Cody Garbrandt has been competing as an amateur since 2009, compiling a mixed-martial arts record of 7-2 before turning pro in 2012. He teamed up with Teal Alpha Male in Sacramento California two years later, and not has his sights set firmly on the bantamweight gold.
Irish fans might know Cody Gabrandt due to an altercation with the UFC featherweight champion (then interim-champion) Conor McGregor, during the filming of The Ultimate Fighter season 22.
The highly touted prospect began his UFC career with a late TKO victory over Marcus Brimage, the same opponent McGregor faced in his inaugural bout with the promotion. He continued with impressive wins over Henry Briones, Augusto Mendes, and his win over #7 ranked Thomas Almedia has shaken up the UFC's bantamweight division.
With his skin covered in tattoos, he described his body-ink as a form of 'therapy' in an interview prior to his UFC debut. He said that: "I have a lot of meaning in my tats. I have Jesus on my left arm, all the glory to Him. I have twin city on my traps -- that's what we call my city -- I'm carrying them on my shoulders.
"I have my area code 922 tatted all over me. I love my hometown, really nothing back there, but it's a place I call home. I came from humble beginnings. I'll never forget my people who I fight for, myself mainly, but I fight for my people. They show me a lot of love," he added
The 24-year-old dated UFC strawweight beauty, Paige Van Zant for a period before the pair split in mid-2015. Van Zant continues to train alongside alongside Garbrandt at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California.
Unranked in the UFC's bantamweight division, the victory over Almedia is likely to fire Garbrandt into the top 10. Given the saturation of fights at the top of the division, 'No Love' could find himself in title contention sooner rather than might have anticipated.
BOOOOOOM BABY!!!!!! @cody_nolove with the first round KO!!!!! So proud of this dude!! #ufc #ko… https://t.co/Os0djSBQ5x
— chad mendes (@chadmendes) May 30, 2016
First-round TKO win for Cody Garbrandt. Tremendous performance. He's fired up.
— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) May 30, 2016
Dudes. Cody Garbrandt is real. God dang.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) May 30, 2016
That was all Cody Garbrandt from the opening second. What an incredible performance. That dude is a monster.
— Bleacher Report MMA (@BR_MMA) May 30, 2016
