What’s next for Cody Durden after his intense week inside and outside the cage?
Cody Durden is a UFC flyweight fighter who has also become quite popular for his fighting techniques and his controversies. It’s been a week full of action, both inside the cage and out, and Durden has become a name on everyone’s lips in the MMA community. While he has continued to prove himself as a fierce competitor in the flyweight division, his most recent fight, coupled with personal challenges and public scrutiny, has left fans and analysts wondering: what’s next for Cody Durden? In this article we discuss Durden’s last fight, the scandals he faced, and what is ahead for him in the UFC. Cody Durden: A Fighter with a Divisive Public Image Cody Durden is one of the most inspiring MMA fighters who has worked hard to get to the top. Durden was born in Georgia and he has always been inspired to wrestle and using this foundation he was able to create his own market in wrestling. His wrestling-oriented style has indeed been his main staple, which carried him through the local and regional shows to the UFC. Since his entry into UFC, Durden has been one of those fighters who have been polarizing at best. On one hand, his grinding style, which involves constant pressure and a slow pace, has endeared him to the fans due to his hard working nature. On the other hand, he is not afraid to speak his mind and has been caught in some controversies several times. Whether people love him or hate him, one thing is clear: Cody Durden understands how to stay relevant in a conversation. The Fight: Durden’s Latest UFC Performance Durden’s last fight was at the most appropriate time in his career as he was rising to the big leagues. Durden was coming into the octagon with a 4-2-1 record in the UFC and had just won his last fight to try to gain momentum and get into the top tier of the flyweight division. In his way was a tough and skilled fighter who excelled in both striking and grappling and thus the fight was going to be a real challenge for Durden. The fight was a quintessential Durden fight. As soon as the bell went, Durden went for takedowns, trying to assert his dominance on the wrestling aspect of the fight. His opponent was ready for this, parrying the first attempts and responding with clean counters, probing Durden’s jaw. The first round therefore was characterized by both fighters exchanging positions and blows but this was an advantage to Durden as he continued to apply pressure as the fight went on. In the second and third round the pressure that Durden put to his opponent increase significantly. His conditioning, characteristic of his style, enabled him to transition to looking for takedowns while maintaining top control. Although he could not manage to get the finish, Durden had control of the fight for large spans, earning him the unanimous decision win. It was an ugly fight, but that is the type of win that establishes him as a contender in the flyweight division. Still, doubts remain as to whether Durden’s one-dimensional approach to the fight will be enough to propel him up the ladder of the division. His wrestling is top notch but in the ever growing field of MMA, one has to be versatile in order to challenge for titles. Durden’s striking still has potential for growth and if he wants to have a title shot, he needs to round out his skill set. The Controversy: Controversial Statements and Reactions This week was rather dramatic not only in the cage but also in Cody Durden’s life outside the cage. Before the fight, Durden found himself in one controversy after another that only intensified the already growing hatred towards him. The UFC has always had fighters that like to court controversy and Durden is no exception. The first hint at trouble was when Durden spoke to a television camera during a pre-fight interview. In attacking his opponent, he said things that were seen by many as insulting to his opponent’s ethnic background and ancestry. The MMA community that has grown to be more sensitive to social issues within the recent past was quick to react, with fans and fighters alike taking Durden to the cleaners over his choice of words. Twitter, a platform that hosts such kinds of disagreements, erupted with anger, and Durden was in the middle of controversy. Durden responded to the criticism in typical fashion: unapologetic and defiant. Later in the subsequent interviews, he said that his words were twisted and that he did not mean to disrespect anybody. However, instead of trying to correct his statements, Durden went further in his conviction that the world of MMA should not restrict the fighters’ freedom of speech and they should be free to express their opinions without getting banned for it. After the fight Durden was quoted as saying, “I am not here to be a people’s champion.” “I’m here to fight. If people don’t like what I have to say that is on them, but I am going to continue being myself. While some of the fans enjoyed his provocative attitude and some of the things that he has said, others found that Durden has gone too far, pointing out that the UFC and MMA in general should be fighting for equality and mutual respect among fighters from different ethnic backgrounds. The Weigh-Ins: Drama and Intensity The issue did not end with the words Durden said before the fight. There is no better example of this than in the ceremonial weigh-ins when Durden was as boiling mad at his opponent. Before the two fighters could pose for the photographers, the exchange of words came to near fisticuffs. The UFC security had to calm the two fighters and ensure that they do not exchange blows, which only served to escalate the event even further. It is not strange to find fights at weigh-ins especially in the
The emotional story behind Cody Durden’s tumultuous week before UFC Vegas 97
In the highly intense and unforgiving environment of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), the fighter is supposed to have only one thing on his mind, the fight and the process of getting ready for it. Unfortunately, life is not a movie and it doesn’t always go according to the plan. UFC flyweight contender Cody Durden was not in the normal training regimen in the week leading to UFC Vegas 97. Instead of focusing on honing his skills, losing some weight and getting ready for one of the biggest fights in his career, Durden was confronted with a hurricane of personal issues that would challenge him much more than any opponent in the cage. Durden had a week of emotional turmoil in which he faced numerous personal challenges that almost led to him losing focus and direction in the career path. All these challenges not only affected his body but his mind and spirit as well. As we look more into the build-up to UFC Vegas 97, we get to learn about Durden’s week, the emotional stress that he went through, and how he was able to channel this into one of the most important fights of his life. Cody Durden: A Fighter with Deep Roots To set the stage for the insanity that surrounded the days leading up to UFC Vegas 97, it is first necessary to know who Cody Durden is as a fighter and as a person. A talented high school wrestler, Durden was an All-American wrestler and brought his competitive attitude into the world of mixed martial arts where he had aspirations of success and strong wrestling base. Durden was able to gain recognition on the regional level of the MMA competition and started to build up victories due to his tough and active fighting style. He is a very active and aggressive fighter and that is why the UFC officials noticed him and in 2020 he joined the organization. Known for his wrestling prowess and dogged work ethic, Durden entered the UFC flyweight division with a clear goal: to rise up the ladder and get famous in the world of the sport. Outside the cage, Durden is a man who has a family to support, he is married to Caroline and they have two children with another on the way. He has always had a passion for his family and that has led him to work hard in order to get a better paying job in order to support his family. But this emotional bond with his family would become a big burden on him as he approached UFC Vegas 97. Fight Camp and Preparation: A Fighter’s Routine Like any other professional mixed martial artist, Cody Durden arrived in fight camp for UFC Vegas 97 with a clear mind. His rival was strong and Durden understood that a win in this battle would bring him closer to the top of UFC flyweight division. His training camp was very tough, he did a lot of cardio, strength training, and sparring and of course a lot of drilling of moves. His coaches devised Durden’s training regime in the most detailed manner possible so that he could be in his best shape. However, every fight camp has its share of difficulties. Durden, like many fighters, had to deal with the wear and tear of injuries, training, and the mental aspect of being a fighter and a husband and a father. Nevertheless, as the fight week neared, Durden was sure that he had done all the work which was required to prepare for the biggest fight in his career. What Durden failed to foresee was that a string of events which he could not control would befall him in the near future. A Family Crisis: The First Day of a Long and Troublesome Week In the period before UFC Vegas 97, Durden faced a family crisis that almost derailed his preparations. His wife Caroline who was three months pregnant with their third child was admitted in the hospital due to some complications arising from the pregnancy. This news came as a blow to Durden, it hit him as hard as a sledgehammer. This had been a week of anticipation and preparation for the fight of a lifetime and now the fighter found himself in a world of fear and doubt. For Durden, the life of his wife and unborn child was more important than the fight that he had at the moment. The emotional weight of the situation was crushing, and Durden found himself torn between two equally important responsibilities: his family and his boxing career. He was thinking of many things–Should he withdraw from the fight so that he can be with his wife? Could he train his mind and body for the battle while at the same time come to terms with the fact that his family was in trouble? These are not questions that any fighter would want to answer, let alone when there is so much at stake. It would be a career disadvantage for a UFC fighter to pull out from a fight especially when it is still scheduled within the coming days; both in his career progress and earnings. However, Durden’s main concern was the well being of his wife and the unborn child that she was carrying. A Difficult Decision: The Decision to Engage However, Durden had to go through a lot of personal issues but he still decided to remain on the UFC Vegas 97 fight card. However, this was not a decision that was taken by him without much thinking. Durden kept on talking to his family and the doctors who were attending to his wife on a daily basis. Caroline herself had her own problems but she motivated Durden to keep on fighting. She understood how much this was a big deal for him and was sure that he could do it despite the turbulence they had going on in their relationship. What made Durden decide to fight was not
