Cody Garbrandt isn't fazed by Deiveson Figueiredo's trash talk ahead of UFC 300.
Former UFC bantamweight champion Garbrandt (14-5 MMA, 9-5 UFC) will compete against former flyweight kingpin and two-time champion Figueiredo (22-3-1 MMA, 11-3-1 UFC) at 135 pounds. We are planning to play against each other in a match. Mega Card (pay-per-view, ESPN, ESPN+) April 13 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.
The pair was originally scheduled to meet in October 2020, when Figueiredo held the 125-pound title and Garbrandt was scheduled to move down and challenge him. “No Love” was forced to withdraw due to a biceps injury and lingering health issues related to COVID-19, and the match did not resume. until now.
Both men aspire to eventually be locked up in the Octagon, with Figueiredo recently telling MMAFighting.com that Garbrandt is “mentally weak” and would likely fold once he goes for the big shot. This further accelerated the previous joke. To Garbrandt, it's nothing short of funny. Garbrandt said he sees through the comments.
“I've been there,” Garbrandt told MMA Junkie on Friday. “When you're mentally weak and you don't have confidence in yourself and you need to talk more, talk more, try to get into the other person's head. I was that person too. I know what it is. It's insecurity about myself. You're going to have to say that to motivate yourself, so get ready. Then he'll get it in my head too. He thinks doing this and getting into my head is the way to victory. Go ahead. Focus on all of this. Forget that you need to back up that story. No. You have to back it up.
“He's lost weight a few times. It's terrible. It's the biggest mentally weak block you can have. You have to gain weight. You quit on your own. It's not like your opponent is going to hit you right in front of you and knock you down and drive you with an elbow to the skull. You broke it yourself. I need to understand that he is bankrupt. Maybe it's something that's going on with him mentally, trying to get into my head and giving me omens or having to let it out. But I already know what it is and I've been focusing on camp training and training like crazy. I'm just hungry.”
For the 32-year-old Garbrandt, this matchup with the 36-year-old Figueiredo is a clean slate. He said he couldn't get much out of the short preparation he did for Figueiredo a few years ago and he can't approach camp wisely.
“I don't remember much because I had a completely different mindset at that camp and at that time in my life,” Garbrandt said. “It was all about me and getting myself back from my big knockout win over (Rafael) Asuncao. I had momentum and it was taken away from me.”
With the bout just a week away, Garbrandt, who won the honorable mention in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMA Junkie bantamweight rankings, is ready to take on Figueiredo, who is ranked No. 14. This is an important match for both players. After a well-documented 1-5 slump from 2017 to 2021, Garbrandt entered UFC 300 with a winning streak for the first time in over seven years.
Meanwhile, Figueiredo is looking to further his status in the bantamweight division after scoring a unanimous decision victory over Rob Font in his UFC debut at ESPN 52 in December. The fight will serve as the opener for a historic UFC 300 card, and Garbrandt is highly motivated to put on a vintage performance.
“There was nothing that stood out to me that said, 'This guy is something special.' He's average,” Garbrandt said. “I feel like my skill set overall is much higher than his. Wrestling, striking, conditioning, speed, sure, and elusive. He'll see. Go out there and keep this pace. I’m excited to shove the on him and let him drown there.”
For more information on this card, check out MMA Junkie's UFC 300 event hub.
The story originally appeared on MMA Junkie
