MMA
Brett Okamoto, ESPN Staff Writer 6y

UFC champion Cody Garbrandt: I want Demetrious Johnson, Conor McGregor

MMA, Boxing

UFC bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt plans on "demolishing" T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 217 next month in New York.

And his plans don't stop there.

After defending his title on Nov. 4 at Madison Square Garden, Garbrandt (11-0) said Wednesday he wants to drop to flyweight and knock off the UFC's longest-reigning champion in Demetrious Johnson.

The 26-year-old fighter, who UFC president Dana White has referred to as his next star, said that eventually he wouldn't mind fighting Conor McGregor -- perhaps in a boxing ring.

"I'll go in there and knock Conor the f--- out in boxing," Garbrandt told ESPN. "Let's be honest. There's no difference in a southpaw [McGregor's fighting stance] or orthodox. That guy could come out and fight on his hands for all I give a f---. I would knock him out, and that's it.

"I've got T.J. ahead of me. He's a great adversary to level up on. I'm excited to go in there and take out T.J., and whoever else -- 'Mighty Mouse' [Johnson], Conor. You can give me top boxers, Adrien Broner, Mikey Garcia. I would love to get in the ring with them."

Garbrandt, from Uhrichsville, Ohio, boxed as an amateur before committing to MMA. He made his UFC debut in 2015, and he has been on a fast track ever since.

He has finished four of his six UFC fights by knockout, including three inside the first round. He won the 135-pound bantamweight title late last year by defeating the most accomplished bantamweight in the sport's history in Dominick Cruz.

That championship fight went the distance, which Garbrandt said was a conscious decision made by him.

"Dominick was able to stay in the game only because I let him," Garbrandt said. "I was having so much fun in my first world title fight, against one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world, I didn't want it to end."

Garbrandt has been sidelined thus far in 2017 due to a back injury, but now he is ready to pursue the biggest possible fights moving forward.

He emphasized that while his focus is on Dillashaw, he can entertain long-term goals, as well.

A title defense in Madison Square Garden, a championship fight against arguably the greatest fighter of all time in Johnson and a boxing match with McGregor? Garbrandt thinks big.

"I think the fight to make after I demolish T.J. is to go down to 125 pounds and become a two-weight world champion," Garbrandt said. "That would be for my career and my legacy -- and for him too. He needs a big fight.

"Cruz and T.J. can fight for an interim title. I'll go down to 125, and then beat up the winner of that [interim title fight]. That's how I see it playing out."

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