CODY GARBRANDT SHOWED pure class last night as he shared probably the greatest moment of his life with a fan.
The newly-crowned bantamweight champion had his hands on the belt for less than a minute before he presented it to cancer survivor Maddux Maple.
‘It’s been a great journey. I want to thank everyone that has been a part of it,’ he said after his victory over Dominick Cruz.
‘I wouldn’t be here without their support, especially this man [Maple] right here.
‘He brought redirection to my life. I’m finally able to do this for him.”
Now 10-year-old Maple was diagnosed with Leukemia when he was just five. Both from Uhrichsville, Ohio, the two met before Garbrandt even made it to the UFC and have kept in touch since.
“This year I was actually more excited for Vegas than I was for Christmas,” Maple said before the fight.
The victory came as a surprise package of UFC 207, with Cruz never previously beaten at 135lb and seeing him lose for the first time in almost 10 years. The challenger dominated however, and won by unanimous decision following a thrilling five-round clash.
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