It’s unlikely that Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight title holder Dominick Cruz and Cody Garbrandt exchanged Christmas cards this year. “No Love” has targeted Cruz well before he was named the number one contender.
The two will meet inside the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for the co-main event of UFC 207 on Dec. 30. It’ll be the last UFC pay-per-view (PPV) of 2016. Of all the bouts on the card, it’s clear that this fight holds the most tension.
Backstage at UFC 199, Cruz and Garbrandt had an altercation. Garbrandt said it started when “The Dominator” mean mugged him and told him to “get in line” for a shot at his belt. Things escalated when Garbrandt threatened to smack the champion.
The split-screen interview that had the mixed martial arts (MMA) world buzzing occurred during the UFC on FOX: VanZant vs. Waterson broadcast. Cruz hit a nerve when talking about Garbrandt’s knockout loss to Jerrell Hodge when he was an amateur. “No Love” responded by throwing out numerous profanities.
Perhaps the most heated encounter these two men have had was during today’s joint-interview. Cruz told Garbrandt to keep his girlfriend’s mouth shut when it comes to the fight business. That’s when “No Love” said he’d walk into Cruz’s room to confront him and walked off.
Cruz egged Garbrandt on and dared him to walk in the room where he was being interviewed. “No Love” was seen standing up and getting the microphone off with the assistance of his manager Ali Abdelaziz. Garbrandt was urged by Abdelaziz to not let the champion get in his head.
At the UFC 207 pre-fight media scrum, Cruz said Garbrandt’s “ignorance is his bliss” and the challenger is “an emotional wreck.” He also discussed Ronda Rousey, the event’s headliner, skipping media appearances and whether or not it’s fair to the other fighters on the card.
