UFC: Cody Garbrandt says he couldn’t withdraw from UFC 217 for financial reasons

Last year when Cody Garbrandt was scheduled to fight Dillashaw at UFC 213, but he couldn’t as he had to pull out due to an injury, but he fought TJ Dillashaw four months later at UFC 217 last year, where he was knocked out by TJ.

However, Cody said that he got into Mixed Martial Arts not because of money, but because he wanted to be a world champion but situations have changed for him and he couldn’t pull out of UFC 217 because he was in dire financial needs.

Speaking to MMA Media, Cody said:

“My money thing, I never wanted to have my motivation to be money, that’s not why I got into this sport, I got into it to be a world champion”

“What can I do? I pulled out of the fight [for their first date in July]. I had a wife that was pregnant. I fought Dominick Cruz for $200,000 a year before that. I’m trying to buy a house, I’m trying to get insurance, all the things you’re thinking you made it, you’re a world champion and you’ve got all this f*cking money but we’re not, man. I understand you have to build your way up to it and it’s good, but, I couldn’t pull out.”

“Two weeks before the fight, I had to go to Vegas and get eight epidurals shot in my back so I could heal up and go to the fight week in New York,” he added. “I don’t regret anything. I’m blessed, being able to be here with now. And I’m healthy and that’s the thing, I’m so excited to be here and speak to you guys, I’m excited to be getting into the Octagon.”

“You have to live life and now I have to take care of my family. That’s why you see all these fighters who want these money fights. You can’t blame them,” Garbrandt said. “They go in there and literally take years off our life. For what, $40,000? $50,000, some of these fighters are coming in 10 and 10 so, what, if they get their ass beat and make what, $10,000?”

“It’s crazy, man. You’ve got NHL players and MLB players making millions and millions and millions and we’re the fastest growing sport in the world. Something’s gotta change.”

“I had a good fight, the pay-per-view did good at Madison Square [Garden], so I’m happy. I’ve some investments, I’ve got good people in my life managing my money. All I’ve got to do is win at the end of the day and the checks keep coming in,” Garbrandt said.

Cody Garbrandt fights TJ Dillashaw in a rematch at UFC 227 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.