Did you know Cody Garbrandt got his first tattoo when he was 14? Yeah, he made a deal with his mom. If he and his brother won a state or national title that year, they would get inked. That was the agreement. Sure enough, they both won national titles, and the next thing you know, 14-year-old Cody was sitting in a tattoo studio, getting the cross-with-a-ribbon tattoo on his back. While that’s a tattoo no one has anything against, the same can’t be said for the one he got recently. As a 33-year-old.

Gearing up to face fellow unranked bantamweight Miles Johns on a Fight Night card on October 12, Cody Garbrandt has made a move that has stunned fans. ‘No Love’ has gotten a face tattoo: a longsword sword with a quillon hilt from his right eye socket to just above his eyebrows. It’s safe to say his mom wouldn’t have been much of a fan, either.

Garbrandt’s neck tattoo is one that stands out. A diamond (to signify how they’re formed under pressure and that champions are made that way, too), the words Self Made (for how he learned his trade on his own), and wings (to signify that the sky is the limit). As intriguing as the story behind it is, his mother was furious when he got it, and that was when he decided he wouldn’t get a face tattoo. But, well, it looks like Garbrandt changed his mind, and in the process, he’s garnered quite some flak (maybe from his mother, too).

That said, since his stunning, heart-warming UFC bantamweight title victory over Dominick Cruz 8 years ago, the 33-year-old has been on a remarkable skid in form. Onlookers sure can distinguish ‘No Love,’ given that he is one of the fighters with an array of ‘unique’ tattoos (36+ if anyone is counting). For his 33rd birthday, the fighter added a few more, like an elaborate piece under his arm, but surely the sword pierced his fans’ hearts. Quite literally.

Did you know 15 of those tattoos were from before Garbrandt turned 18? While ‘No Love’s love for tattoos is undeniable, it seems like his recent one is receiving ‘no love’ from his fans.

One of the most prominent pieces the fighter flaunts is his Family Over Everything piece on his pectoral. A testament to his love for his family, the tattoo has an angel on his left pec with the words and a sparrow on the right. On top of that, the words Lord Have Mercy are also inked. Twin and City adorn the fighter’s two shoulders, and alongside several floral motifs sit two more words, each on his biceps: Family and Relentless.

From several Biblical pieces to his own name, the list of Cody Garbrandt’s tattoos goes on. Having been on the winning side of one of the greatest moments in UFC history at one point, Garbrandt isn’t even a ranked fighter in the 135-pound division anymore. But he has won two of his last three fights and a win over Miles Johns will possibly help him get a shot at a ranked fighter next, given his illustrious history. As he finds his way back to the top, Garbrandt continues to have a strong fan following despite the skid. But could his latest tattoo have changed his fans’ minds?

Does Cody Garbrandt’s “bold choice” mean he’s “never losing” again?

No matter how many tattoos a person may have, a face tattoo is something many people would think twice before getting. That’s not to say Cody Garbrandt didn’t think twice. But maybe, from many reactions in the MMA community, he probably should’ve given it a third think. After all, not all face tattoos can become as iconic as Mike Tyson’s.

And one fan was simply gobsmacked and couldn’t, for the life of them, figure out why Garbrandt would do that, simply asking: “Why?” Seconding this sentiment wholeheartedly, a follower remarked succinctly but sharply: “Jesus Christ.” Another was clearly not a fan and had a pretty damning indictment of the face tattoo, which they felt belonged on a certain special list: “Might be on the worst tattoo list 😭”

In sharp contrast, another user felt that while a face tattoo was a very bold statement, ‘No Love’ was pulling it off: “Bold choice, but he makes it work, I think.” Garbrandt is no stranger to bold tattoos. Remember the grenade on his right hand? When he got it, the tattoo was an inside joke between him and his team – a depiction that he “dropped bombs” on his opponents with his right fist. Hilariously, though, the 33-year-old admitted breaking his hand in the next three fights right after getting that inked.

One fan felt that this face tattoo boosted Garbrandt’s intimidation factor, which means that: “He’s never losing another fight.” Another had a straightforward (but insensitive) explanation for Garbrandt’s bold decision, chalking it up to “cte.” Short for chronic traumatic encephalopathy, it’s a brain disorder caused by multiple traumas to the head (basically, repeated head injuries), something that is common in combat sports.

Another fan was concerned about the pain the former 135-pound champion would have endured while getting the tattoo: “I wonder if that hurt. I can’t imagine getting a face tat, man.” Considering how experienced Cody Garbrandt is in the art of getting tattoos, it’s safe to say he would’ve been just fine.

Having lost six of his last nine fights since his UFC 207 clash against Cruz, it may surprise many that ‘No Love’ was undefeated at a point. But will he be able to redeem himself against Miles Johns in October? Maybe, as one fan suggested, his new tattoo is a sign that he’s “never losing” again. That said, what are your thoughts on Garbrandt’s face tattoo?