Cody Garbrandt is looking to become the seventh fighter in UFC history to win titles in multiple weight classes.
A former bantamweight champion, Garbrandt told ESPN he's personally asked UFC president Dana White to allow him to drop to flyweight to challenge newly-crowned 125-pound champion Deiveson Figueiredo. Garbrandt, 29, said he reached out to White immediately after Figueiredo won the belt on July 18 at Fight Island.
"As far as I know," said Garbrandt, when asked if he's the No. 1 contender at 125 pounds. "I don't have a contract in hand, I'm waiting on that. ... I talked to Dana when he was on Fight Island and he said, 'I'll work on it.' I just got done working out and I weigh 145 pounds. I don't cut weight to fight at 135. I can be very dangerous [at 125] and at 135."
ESPN asked White earlier this week if Garbrandt will fight for the belt next, to which he responded, "Anything is possible."
Figueiredo (19-1) looked very impressive in a first-round knockout win over Joseph Benavidez at UFC Fight Night on July 18 at Fight Island, on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. The Brazilian champion is 8-1 in the UFC, with six wins by stoppage.
In addition to Garbrandt, who is coming off a knockout win against Pedro Munhoz at 135 pounds in June, the UFC could consider flyweights Brandon Moreno, Alex Perez or Askar Askarov as other No. 1 contender options.
Regardless of whether he's next, Garbrandt says he's determined to compete at 125 and 135 pounds. He won the bantamweight championship December 2016, before giving it up to his former teammate and rival T.J. Dillashaw in his first attempted defense in November 2017.