5 Things You Might Not Know About Cody Gibson

Cody Gibson does not give up easily, as evidenced by the fact that he currently finds himself in his second stint with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

The well-traveled 37-year-old bantamweight will square off with former Cage Fury Fighting Championships titleholder Da’Mon Blackshear in a three-round UFC Fight Night 254 showcase on Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Gibson heads into the match on the strength of back-to-back victories. He last saw action at UFC Fight Night 246, where he outpointed Chad Anheliger to a unanimous decision in their 15-minute confrontation on Nov. 2.

As Gibson approaches his forthcoming scrap with Blackshear at 135 pounds, here are five things you might not know about him:

1. Odds of his rising to a place of prominence were long.

Gibson was born on Sept. 11, 1987 in Blackwell, Oklahoma—a city of some 6,000 people situated 112 miles north of Oklahoma City. He and his older brother were moved to California after being adopted out of the foster care system. Gibson shares a hometown with Brad Penny, a longtime mixed martial arts fan and two-time MLB all-star who won 121 games during a 13-year career that saw him pitch for the Miami Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, St. Louis Cardinals and Detroit Tigers.

2. He can point to a championship pedigree.

“The Renegade” has held titles in the Tachi Palace Fights and Up Next Fighting organizations. Gibson laid claim to the TPF bantamweight crown with a five-round unanimous decision over Rolando Velasco on May 19, 2016 and captured the UNF bantamweight belt with a third-round arm-triangle choke submission of Francisco Rivera on Nov. 19, 2022.

3. He embraced reality.

Gibson was the runner-up on Season 31 of “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2023. He wiped out Mando Gutierrez with a flying knee and follow-up punches in the quarterfinals, then dispatched Rico DiSciullo with an arm-triangle choke in the semis—both bouts concluded inside one round—before losing a unanimous decision to Brad Katona in the final.

4. Proven commodities built his foundation.

A 31-fight veteran with a record of 21-10, Gibson trains under John Hackleman and Antonio Banuelos at The Pit in San Luis Obispo, California—the same gym that gave rise to former undisputed light heavyweight champion and UFC hall of famer Chuck Liddell.

5. He put a safety net in place long ago.

Gibson holds a bachelor’s degree in history and a master’s degree in education from Brandman University. He works as a physical education teacher and wrestling coach at Atascadero Middle School in Atascadero, California.