Bryan Caraway Thinks He Should Have The Title Shot Over Cody Garbrandt

In an interview with MMA Fighting, Bryan Caraway said that he felt he was owed a shot at the UFC bantamweight title over Cody Garbrandt. Dominick Cruz will fight Garbrandt at UFC 207 on December 30. Here are highlights:

On not getting the title shot: “The UFC is intelligent, and I have to come to terms that this is an entertainment business almost more than it is a sport. Garbrandt was the No. 8 ranked guy, and real quick they shuffle — as soon as he gets a title shot they shuffle and he’s No. 5. I don’t know. Garbrandt’s super-talented, he’s tough, but I mean, has he proven himself really? I mean, when he knocked out [Thomas] Almeida, Almeida hadn’t beat a single guy in the top 10.”

On why he deserves it more: “He’s very talented and I’m not taking anything away from him, and I’m not saying Garbrandt can’t win the title. But I feel like, I’ve been a veteran, I’ve been around for a long time. I just beat the No. 6 guy in Eddie Wineland. I out-struck him the whole fight, and he was supposed to be one of the best strikers in the division. I fought the best grappler in the division, supposedly, that’s 12-0 in the division. I out-grapple him and beat him, and he’s No. 4 and they’re trying to hype him for a title, and at that moment I was ranked No. 3 — the highest-ranked guy that hadn’t fought for a title. I thought for sure I would get it, I’ve been around this sport for a long time. I felt like I was owed it.”

On keeping busy: “I love fighting. I’ve been fighting for a long time. Counting some of my underground old-school, I have over 44 MMA fights, some of them bare-knuckle fights. I’m not afraid to fight anybody. But, it is a sport, and there are politics, and it’s the entertainment business, so you’ve got to be smart in that aspect as well.”