UFC 329: Adrian Yanez batters Cody Garbrandt for brutal 1st-round knockout

Adrian Yanez returned to the winner's circle in emphatic fashion, battering former bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt with a first-round knockout at UFC 329's preliminary card.

Yanez (18-6-1) pressured Garbrandt from the opening bell, giving "No Love" little opportunity to establish rhythm. Midway through Round 1, a counter right hand hurt Garbrandt, but he recovered quickly. Another counter right sent him stumbling, and Yanez surged forward with haymakers that connected cleanly and sent Garbrandt face-first to the mat. Referee Herb Dean stopped the fight at 2:47.

Yanez's win marks his first in more than a year, coming after a knockout victory over Vinicius Salvador in May 2024. His recent record had been rough—he managed just one win in his past five fights, most recently drawing with Ricky Simon at UFC Seattle. His UFC record now stands at 7-3-1.

For Garbrandt, the loss continues a troubling decline. The onetime bantamweight king has now lost eight of his past 13 fights, adding another painful knockout to a string of disappointing performances. Both fighters had entered the bout seeking momentum—Yanez after a slump, Garbrandt riding a controversial decision win over Xiao Long—but only one left victorious.