Cody Durden Caps Off 5-Fight UFC Run With a Well-Deserved Break
Cody Durden is ready to take his foot off the gas pedal for a while after his recent success at UFC Vegas 123.
Cody Durden has had a busy year! Stepping inside the cage is no easy feat, from cutting weight to the gruelling training camps. The flyweight repeated that five times in a single year. He may be ready to finally hit the brakes on that taxing stretch.
Cody Durden Eyes Hiatus From Octagon
The American pulled off a statement win on Saturday against Ode Osbourne. 'Custom Made' repeatedly dropped his opponent to the canvas, unleashing a flurry of punches. In the opening round, Durden also locked up a tight twister submission, even though Osbourne refused to go out. This early dominance ultimately sealed the victory for the flyweight, with three 29-28 scorecards.
This triumph, however, demanded a lot from Durden, who has recently been on an inconsistent stretch. The drive to settle the score inside the Octagon forced the 35-year-old to miss out on things closest to his heart.
"I had five fights in one year, and so, man, I need to spend time with my kids. I've been an absent father. I feel like a cave man leaving the cave to go put food on the table.
"I've got to get back to my kids and my family and hug them. Man, I just miss them dearly. I've been working my butt off all year, and now I need to give this month to them," Durden told MMA Junkie during the post-fight press conference.
Cody Durden, who has two kids, hasn't had much time to give to his family since a clash with late fighter Allan Nascimento kicked off a losing spree. Having already lost two fights before, Custom Made was desperate to return to the winning column. But that wouldn't come until after April, defeating Jafel Filho.
Another submission loss to Alessandro Costa primed his return to the cage on Saturday, with the American Top Team product returning with more gusto than ever.
However, having turned the red on his resume back to green, Cody Durden isn't entirely sure if he wants to sleep on that momentum.
Cody Durden Puts Division on Notice
Fighting five times over 12 months shows the grit that keeps Cody Durden on a packed schedule. And even with a potential hiatus on the horizon, the flyweight doesn't want to get too comfortable with his Vegas win.
Quickly following up on his plans for a break, Durden reminded the presser that a swift return to the cage remains uncertain, but not impossible.
"Who knows? Maybe we'll have a fight in December," he teased with a smile.
Already 35, Custom Made definitely wants to make the most of his time left in MMA.
"Anybody can get it, anybody, from the front of the division to the back of the division. I'm here for a short time, not a long time."
As for potential challengers, Amir Albazi, scheduled to fight Alessandro Costa on Nov. 21, remains a logical opponent. Jeff Molina and Matt Schnell also make sense. Tatsuro Taira, who recently took a dent in his resume against Joshua Van, can provide Cody Durden with a higher-ranked challenger, even if it doesn't make the most sense.
Wherever his next stint may be, Cody Durden is clear about one thing: he wants to make up for the lost time with his family, away from the competition heat.
