Cody Garbrandt vows to continue after UFC 329 TKO loss to Yanez

Cody Garbrandt will not retire despite his brutal first-round loss to Adrian Yanez at UFC 329.

The former bantamweight champion dropped his gloves in the cage after getting stopped at two minutes and 47 seconds on July 11, leading some observers to expect a retirement announcement. Instead, Garbrandt posted a defiant message on Instagram days later. "You only lose when you choose to give up," he wrote, per MMA Mania. "Let your struggles be your fuel, not your downfall."

Garbrandt's slide since losing the belt in 2017

Garbrandt captured the 135-pound title from Dominick Cruz in 2016 but lost it in his first defense to T.J. Dillashaw. He has gone 3-5 over the past five years, with serious health complications from COVID reportedly impacting his performance. MMA Mania notes that blood clots, pneumonia, and mental fog slowed his recovery after the virus.

UFC CEO Dana White once compared Garbrandt to Conor McGregor, convinced the American had the talent and charisma to reach the same heights. The sport had other plans. Garbrandt now functions as a gatekeeper at bantamweight, still dangerous but unable to absorb the power shots from the division's elite.

The Yanez defeat marked Garbrandt's first knockout loss since 2021. He fights next at a date to be announced.

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• MMA Mania — Cody Garbrandt makes statement following UFC 329 TKO loss: ‘Let your struggles be your fuel’