Cody Garbrandt wants Moscow scrap with Petr Yan after backstage altercation

Former UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt is currently gearing up for a high-stakes scrap with Raphael Assuncao. After a backstage altercation with Petr Yan at UFC 245, however, he’s already itching to settle his differences with the Russian in the cage thereafter.

Responding to a fan on Twitter, Garbrandt welcomed a future fight with Yan — even on Yan’s home turf.

https://twitter.com/Cody_Nolove/status/1206136273661911040

“After I’m done with Raphael. I’ll come to Moscow to fight Peter!!! I love the Russians.” – Cody Garbrandt on Twitter.

Garbrandt will enter his fight with Assuncao, which goes down at UFC Columbus on March 28, with three straight knockout losses in the rear-view mirror. The first two of those losses came in title fights wth TJ Dillashaw, who first ended Garbrandt’s title reign and then defended the same title against him. Garbrandt then looked to get back on track against Pedro Munhoz, but was knocked out during a first-round firefight. Prior to these losses, Garbrandt was undefeated as a pro mixed martial artist.

Suffice it to say that the pressure is high for the former champion as he prepares for Assuncao.

Assuncao is riding back-to-back setbacks at the hands of Cory Sandhagen and Marlon Moraes. These losses were preceded by four-straight wins over Aljamain Sterling, Marlon Moraes, Matthew Lopez and Rob Font.

Yan, meanwhile, recently picked up the biggest win of his career, knocking out 40-year-old MMA legend Urijah Faber in the opening bout of the UFC 245 main card. Faber, of course, is Garbrandt’s mentor.

Yan is currently undefeated in the UFC, having also bested Teruto Ishihara, Jin Soo Son, Douglas Andrade, John Dodson, and Jimmie Rivera since joining the promotion.

Does a future fight between Cody Garbrandt and Petr Yan interest you?

This article first appeared on BJPENN.com on 12/16/2019.