Dana White Explains Why Cody Garbrandt Got Flyweight Title Shot

Cody Garbrandt will be looking to join elite company when he battles Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event of UFC 255.

Garbrandt, who is the former bantamweight champion, will be dropping down to flyweight. Although Garbrandt is a star, many fans were not happy with him getting the title shot. He is just 1-3 in his last four with all three losses coming by knockout. He also has never made 125-pounds. The division has top contenders like Brandon Moreno, Alex Perez, and Askar Askarov all worthy of the title shot.

According to UFC president, Dana White he says he made the fight because Garbrandt wanted it. He also believes it will be a fun fight.

“Well he wanted to, he wanted to move down, he wanted to move down in weight and he wanted to take that opportunity and we loved it,” White said to ESPN (h/t BJPENN.com). So we did it. It will be a fun fight.”

Deiveson Figueiredo won the vacant flyweight title last time out with a first-round submission win over Joseph Benavidez. The Brazilian dominated the fight knocking down Benavidez a couple of times to secure the title win. It was a rematch after they fought in February at UFC Norfolk. Figueiredo won by second-round knockout but he missed weight and an accidental headbutt happened to leave the title to still be vacant.

Cody Garbrandt, meanwhile, returned to the win column back at UFC 250 with a knockout win over Raphael Assuncao. Before that, he suffered KO losses to Pedro Munhoz, and T.J. Dillashaw, twice to lose the bantamweight title after a dominant win over Dominick Cruz to win the strap.

It is no doubt an interesting fight with Figueiredo being a big betting favorite.

What do you make of Dana White’s reason on giving Cody Garbrandt the flyweight title shot?