'He lit a fire under me' - Cody Garbrandt took inspiration from Maddux Maple's leukaemia battle

Cody Garbrandt has told TNT Sports that UFC and Maddux Maple took him out of a dark place and saved his life.

Garbrandt took some time to make his way in the sport, but climbed the ladder and became UFC bantamweight champion with victory over Dominick Cruz at UFC 207.

The 32-year-old shared one of the most iconic moments in UFC history when he strapped the belt around the waist of leukaemia survivor Maple, who he had forged a close bond with through his battle with the disease.

Winning the title and sharing the moment with Maple were career and life highs for Garbrandt.

Looking back on his fight with Cruz, Garbrandt said: “There is a reason he was at the top for so long, his toughness, his mental fortitude, able to come back after setbacks and injuries and battle back.

“I really idolised him a lot for what he was able to accomplish, but I just knew that was my time.

“Whoever had the title when I was rising, I was going to do whatever it took to be a world champion as that is something that saved my life.

“When I was in my darkest times, the light at the end of the tunnel was Bruce Buffer calling my name and Dana White strapping the little round my waist.”

Garbrandt forged a bond with Maple long before he entered the UFC ranks, and they fought their different battles together.

“He saved my life,” Garbrandt told TNT Sports of Maple. “I was going down such a dark path and was lost.

“To see him just with a smile on his face every day, not complaining about what he was going through, it just put me in perspective.

“I chose this life, no matter how hard it gets to reach my goals and aspirations, this kid wakes up every day and has no choice but to fight for his life.”

Garbrandt revealed how he and Maple made a pact to reach their goals.

“I told him we had fought so hard to get to where we are at,” Garbrandt said. “Let’s make this deal, this promise, this pact to each other. You take your medicine with no complaints, and I promise I will make it to the UFC, take you to every fight with me, we will climb the ranks and win the world title.

“Six months on I got a call from him saying he had had his last dose of chemo and he said it is now your turn to keep the pact.

“He lit a fire under me.

“I fulfilled my end of the bargain.

I gained so much strength from it. It is our story.

“I am so thankful for him and seeing him do so well.”

Garbrandt will be back in the Octagon against Deiveson Figueiredo on April 13 at UFC 300 - with the event live on TNT Sports.

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