Cody Garbrandt and Mario Bautista are in negotiations to headline a UFC event on August 19th. This matchup is sure to be an exciting one, as both fighters have established themselves as top contenders in the bantamweight division of the UFC.
Garbrandt (13-3) is a former UFC bantamweight champion and has racked up some impressive wins since joining the promotion in 2015. He won his first four fights by way of knockout including notable victories over Thomas Almeida, Dominick Cruz, and Raphael Assuncao. After losing his title in 2017 to TJ Dillashaw, he went on a two-fight win streak with back-to-back knockout wins over Pedro Munhoz and Raphael Assuncao before dropping two consecutive bouts against Pedro Munhoz again and Cory Sandhagen last year.
Bautista (15-1) made his debut for the promotion back in 2019 and quickly ascended up the ranks of the bantamweight division with impressive performances against Trevin Jones, Nathan Maness, Jin Soo Son, Ricky Simon ,and Jack Shore respectively. His only loss came at the hands of Merab Dvalishvili last July but he was able to bounce back with a decision win over Hunter Azure this past April.
The bout between Garbrandt and Bautista is expected to be highly competitive given their respective skill sets; Garbrandt’s power combined with his elite striking ability should make him a tough out while Bautista’s wrestling background will give him an edge if it turns into close quarters battle or grind fest on the ground. The fight should also provide answers about where each fighter stands within their respective divisions as they look to make another run at championship gold later down the line .
UFC President Dana White has yet to officially announce this fight but sources confirm that negotiations are ongoing between both camps which could lead us towards an official announcement soon enough . Fans can only hope that this bout will live up to expectations when these two talented fighters finally step into octagon together come August 19th .