Former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt is forced to withdraw from his UFC 292 fight against Mario Bautista due to a training injury, leaving Bautista waiting for a suitable replacement.
Former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt has been compelled to withdraw from his UFC 292 fight against Mario Bautista. This abrupt change has been attributed to an injury Garbrandt incurred during training just days before his scheduled reentry into the ring in Boston. Consequently, Bautista is left in the lurch, now waiting for news on a potential replacement for their August 19 pay-per-view match.
This recent development is a disappointing setback for Garbrandt, who was hoping to leverage a recent win over Trevin Jones to regain his momentum. This victory marked his successful return to the 135-pound category following a brief one-off stint at flyweight. Garbrandt, a former champion, has experienced many ups and downs in recent years, maintaining a 2-5 overall record in his last seven fights since his triumphant securing of the UFC bantamweight title with a win over Dominick Cruz in 2016.
Garbrandt himself later confirmed his withdrawal, revealing that he had succumbed to yet another back injury. On his official Twitter account, he announced, “Yes I’m bummed I tore my disk again. I’ll be back in there sooner than later.” Meanwhile, for Bautista, this encounter with Garbrandt would have been a significant part of his steady rise up the 135-pound category ranks. He has been on a winning streak, securing victory in four consecutive fights and achieving submission finishes in his last three matches against Guido Cannetti, Benito Lopez, and Brian Kelleher. As of now, Bautista is left waiting to discover if UFC can find a suitable replacement for UFC 292, which is set to take place at TD Garden in Boston.