Former UFC Champion Cody Garbrandt will make his return to the octagon on August 19 following his win over Trevin Jones at UFC 285. It was recently announced and confirmed today that Garbrandt's opponent will be the surging prospect of Mario Bautista. Bautista's management agency, Iridium Sports, confirmed the bout contract as the two will square off on August 19.
🚨 #TeamIridium Fight News 🚨
Our man @Bautista_mma looks to climb to 7-2 in the @ufc with a 4th straight 1st-RD finish vs. former champ Cody Garbrandt on Aug. 19 ✍🏼 #TheDarkside pic.twitter.com/WO1VzUwJQ4
— IridiumSportsAgency (@TeamIridiumISA) May 1, 2023
After one of the worst career slides we've seen in recent memory, Cody Garbrandt turned back the clock with a vintage performance against Trevin Jones and showed that he still has a lot of gas left in the tank. In getting the unanimous decision win, Garbrandt earned himself a fight against Mario Bautista that would effectively do wonders for his rankings. Bautista, however, is an absolute savage with a 6-2 UFC record. He's found dynamite in his hands and has scored four first-round finishes thus far. He's on a four-fight winning streak coming in and will certainly see a top-15 ranking if he can take care of Garbrandt in similar fashion.




While there are no odds posted yet, it'll be interesting to see where the sportsbooks stand on this fight. Mario Bautista will likely be the sizable favorite given the recent streak he's on, but Garbrandt's recent performance may indicate a chance for an upset here. One thing's for sure – both of these guys will come out swinging from the opening bell and will make for an edge-of-your-seat type of fight. The UFC has yet to confirm a card or location, but it's a promising sign that we'll see an event given these two are fighting on August 19.
Early prediction time – who you got?