UFC Bantamweight Champion Cody Garbrandt is defending the title against former champion TJ Dillashaw this November at UFC 217.
The champion plans on holding onto his title at the event, then he wants to fight UFC Flyweight Champion Demetrious Johnson, according to coach Justin Buchholz.
“For sure, [Cody] can do it right now. He’s real big and strong right now and he’s getting bigger so he’s gotta do it right now if he does go down. For sure, [Demetrious Johnson] is a fight that we would love to have but we’ll just see about getting his body down to 125 [pounds],” Buchholz said on the Five Rounds Podcast.
Garbrandt isn’t the first former/current bantamweight champion to challenge Mighty Mouse, as his UFC 217 opponent in Dillashaw has done the same thing.
Buchholz is confident that the fight can take place and that Garbrandt will keep the power he has at bantamweight in the flyweight division.
“I’m confident that can happen. That’s nothing. I’ve seen a lot harder things than that. Cody can make that weight and keep his power and put the weight back on and go back to ‘35 at this point in his career, while he’s young. We know the dangers of switching weight classes and whatnot with Roy Jones Jr. and you can see the stuff with B.J. Penn. We know what we’re doing here. Everything’s a science now. You’ve got to be on top of your game so you can get the correct people and set the right systems in place. We can do it old school so that’s why I’m confident with all the new school stuff it’d be even easier,” says Buchholz.
UFC 217 takes place on Saturday, November 4 from Madison Square Garden in New York, New York with Michael Bisping and Georges St. Pierre headlining. Fightful is providing live coverage of the event, with a post-show podcast to follow.
