At UFC 326 last weekend, Garbrandt fought a dramatic bout against Xiao Long. Despite a less-than-dominant performance, Garbrandt was awarded a unanimous decision victory by the judges, partly because his opponent repeatedly committed fouls, including low blows.

Cody Garbrandt is announced as the winner in his fight against Xiao Long at UFC 326 on 7/3. Photo: Zuffa LLC

The most notable incident occurred when Long delivered a powerful kick to Garbrandt's groin, causing him to collapse. Initially, the American fighter knelt as if to regain his breath.

However, as the referee approached, Garbrandt signaled to his corner and was handed a bucket inside the octagon. The referee managed to place the bucket in front of Garbrandt just as he vomited onto the mat, preventing the contents from spilling into the fighting area.

After the fight resumed, Long was docked another point for an illegal low knee strike. The Chinese-born fighter further angered Garbrandt by landing an additional punch after the bell sounded to end the round.

Following the fight, Garbrandt revealed he had to endure the pain to continue competing. "When the crowd chants 'USA, USA'", you can't quit," Garbrandt told Full Send MMA. "I was in so much pain, dizzy and vomiting, I didn't even know how much time was left in the round."

The 34-year-old fighter stated he was hit in the groin again after the fight restarted and focused only on finding his rhythm. "It was a strange fight. My mouth was dry. But with fighting experience, sometimes things don't go as planned, and you just have to stay calm and keep fighting," he added.

According to the American fighter, his coaches urged him not to rush but to focus on maintaining his advantage on the scorecards. "They told me, 'Just fight smart and get the win'."

Garbrandt once won 11 consecutive fights in 2016 but has experienced a decline in form recently. With his latest victory, his record stands at 4 wins and 7 losses in his last 11 bouts.

Hong Duy (according to Daily Mail)