Cody Garbrandt is eager to settle his rivalry with Sean O’Malley, criticizing O’Malley’s skills and expressing confidence in defeating him, while also discussing his partnership with Indian Motorcycles.
Cody Garbrandt has some unfinished business with Sean O’Malley and wants to settle it soon. After a 14-month hiatus, Garbrandt lost a close decision to Raoni Barcelos at UFC Atlanta.
Meanwhile, O’Malley faced bantamweight champ Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 316 and was submitted in the second round. Both fighters are on losing streaks, and Garbrandt is eager for a matchup between them.
“I’d love to mess him up,” Garbrandt told MMA Fighting, discussing his partnership with Indian Motorcycles. “He’s always talking trash and seems obsessed with me. It’s wild he became a champ.”
Garbrandt criticized O’Malley’s wrestling skills, saying, “He can’t defend a takedown. Merab bullied him. I’m ready to fight him, and I know how to win. It’d be a bad night for him.”
He’s tagged Dana White, hoping the UFC will book the fight. “It’d be a great pay-per-view,” Garbrandt added, noting O’Malley’s younger fanbase from Twitch and gaming.
Garbrandt recently teamed up with Indian Motorcycles, receiving a custom bike as part of the Indian FORGED program. Motorcycles have long been a passion for him.
The rivalry with O’Malley dates back years, including a heated moment at the UFC 269 press conference in 2021. Despite his losses, Garbrandt feels none compare to O’Malley’s defeat by Dvalishvili.
“He’s been embarrassed a few times,” Garbrandt said. “I’ll never get walked like that. I go out on my shield.”
After losing to Dvalishvili, O’Malley made life changes, quitting marijuana and social media, but still fell short in their rematch. Garbrandt believes Dvalishvili is a tough opponent for anyone.
“He’s trying to reinvent himself,” Garbrandt noted. “But he looked worse. Maybe he should go back to what he was doing.”
Reflecting on his own experience, Garbrandt emphasized confidence over external advice. “He’s got holes in his game. My style would be a bad matchup for him.”
Despite his experience, Garbrandt wouldn’t offer O’Malley advice. “F*ck that dude,” he said. “Anyone else, sure, but not him.”
Check out Garbrandt receiving his custom Indian FORGED motorcycle in the video below.