Ultimate Fighting Championship

Cody Garbrandt: Jeremy Stephens 'scratched my neck with his b**ch nails'

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 1:20 p.m. ET

Fansided, David Rouben/Fansided

Cody Garbrandt and Jeremy Stephens got into a fight during the UFC 207 weigh-ins, but Garbrandt chalks it up to him being in Dominick Cruz’s head.

Dominick Cruz can try to cap off a memorable 2016 by going three-for-three against Team Alpha Male and stake his claim as a Fighter of the Year candidate. Standing in his way is rising bantamweight prospect Cody Garbrandt. He owns a perfect 10-0 record, and has gone to a decision only once. Compared to Cruz, who has one finish in his last eight fights, it should make for a fascinating style match-up.

Ever since Cruz’s rivalry with Urijah Faber, he doesn’t care for anybody that comes out of Team Alpha Male. But the tension between him and Garbrandt has boiled over recently, and it all came to a head at the UFC 207 weigh-ins.

In this video, Garbrandt gets into a fight with Cruz’s camp after he comes off the scale. It isn’t shown because security guards are in the way, so you have to enjoy Ariel Helwani’s best impression of David Attenborough on Planet Earth:

Cruz’s teammate Jeremy Stephens provided a full account of what happened. He detailed how Garbrandt came charging at him after stepping off the scale before security broke it up. Garbrandt, though, dismissed Stephens and gave his own side of the story:

Dude’s a b*tch and scratched my neck with his b*tch nails. He is lucky I had my hands full and was taken from behind by a few people. Cruz knows he can’t beat me so he brings his self-proclaimed savage in and hype man. Like Conor (McGregor) said, who the fook (sic) is that guy.

This already had the potential to be the best fight at UFC 207, but anticipation for it should be at a fever pitch now. You have to feel bad for Jeremy Stephens, though. He’s become famous for something Conor McGregor said to him, and everyone else will try to use it any chance they get.

While Ronda Rousey is storming off and refusing to do media, Garbrandt and Cruz are showcasing their rivalry right out in the open. And after this altercation, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Garbrandt decided to move up to featherweight to challenge Jeremy Stephens.