Former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt returns to the Octagon Saturday night, taking on Xiao Long in the featured prelim of UFC 326 in Las Vegas.
Garbrandt (14–7, 9–7 UFC) seeks to reclaim his spot at 135 pounds after losing seven of 10 fights since his 2016 title win. Long (27–10, 1–2 UFC) looks to gain a foothold in the crowded bantamweight division after splitting his first two bouts since debuting in the promotion in 2024.
Long enters as a -162 moneyline favorite on DraftKings Sportsbook, while Garbrandt sits as a +136 underdog. The total is set at 2.5 rounds.
Garbrandt vs. Long Preview
Cody Garbrandt
Cody Garbrandt delivered arguably the greatest title performance in UFC history when he stunned — no, embarrassed long-reigning champ Dominick Cruz in a 2016 masterclass. But Cody “No Love” has been shown exactly that from the fighting gods in the subsequent decade.
He immediately dropped the title to TJ Dillashaw, a second-round knockout that sent him cascading down the top of the MMA mountain. Garbrandt has lost seven of his 10 bouts since capturing the bantamweight crown. Compounding the issue, he has dealt with vertigo since UFC 300 — resulting in consecutive losses, most recently a unanimous decision against Raoni Barcelos in June 2025.
Now 34, Garbrandt is adamant that the intense form of dizziness is finally in the rearview, and that he enters Saturday night on the heels of his best training camp in years. With a return to his “roots” of wrestling and boxing — and seemingly a recaptured excitement for fighting — Garbrandt looks prepared to re-establish himself as a major player at 135 pounds.
Xiao Long
Despite making his debut just over a year ago, Xiao Long is no stranger to the UFC banner.
The budding Chinese contender, 27, joined the UFC Academy in Shanghai before impressing on Dana White’s Contender Series. He went on to earn a five-fight contract with MMA’s flagship promotion after a standout run on Road to UFC.
A fluid striker with opportunistic grappling, Long made his first official trip to the Octagon in November 2024. He stamped his arrival with a thunderous third-round knockout of Quang Le.
However, Long’s rise hit some turbulence in the form of a narrow decision loss to SuYoung You in August 2025. He heads into Saturday night aiming to swiftly course correct — while making a statement against the former champion.
Garbrandt vs. Long Pick, Best Bet
Garbrandt returns to the Octagon with a rediscovered focus on the fundamentals that lifted him to the UFC’s summit. But as the great Mike Tyson once said: “Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the face.”
Time and again, Garbrandt has tempted fate by ignoring corner instructions and sitting in the pocket for video-game-esque boxing exchanges. He famously overswings in search of a knockout while blocking incoming punches with his suspect chin — an increasingly dangerous habit when facing a faster, longer, and stronger opponent like Long.
Count on Long to decisively return to the win column on Saturday night against the former champion.
