Cody Durden (14-4-1 MMA, 3-2-1 UFC) has his eyes on the top of the UFC’s flyweight division, and he’s investing his time at American Top Team to help make his dreams a reality. Up next, it’s Charles Johnson (13-4 MMA, 2-2 UFC) at Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 223 event, which streams live on ESPN+ from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Ahead of that contest, Durden discusses that contests, the benefit of training alongside upcoming title challenger Alexandre Pantoja, and why he believes he’ll accomplish something unbelievable this weekend.
Check out the full interview in the video above, or read the transcript below.
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John Morgan: It is Cody Durden, who is joining us direct from Horiguchi Hall at American Top Team, set to face Charles Johnson on April 29. So, Cody, the date’s getting closer. I guess, let us know how you’re feeling ahead of this one.
Cody Durden: I’m feeling stoked. I’m ready to go. We got two weeks, and been down here training at American Top Team, Coconut Creek. Been staying in the dorm rooms for five weeks, and I’m ready.
JM: It’s pretty incredible. I mean obviously the facility at American Top Team, I mean the gym is incredible, but I mean even the dorms are pretty nice, but they’re still dorms. I mean, what is that like? Is it kind of a weird feeling going there and being separated or do you feel like it helps you get your mind right? I mean, what’s the process like of being in those dorms?
Cody Durden: Oh, it’s great, you know? Walk downstairs, and you’re at practice. You’re at the gym. No driving. We’ve got a full kitchen, dorm rooms, and, you know, I stay here with a bunch of successful fighters, so I enjoy it, and I wouldn’t have it any other way. That’s the gym right there. You’ve got the kitchen. Horiguchi Hall, right there.
JM: I love it. As many times as I’ve been in that gym, I’ve never actually been to the dorm, so that was my first look to get a look around, so I appreciate the little virtual tour.
Cody Durden: Yeah. Yeah, no problem.
JM: I mean, do you have to humble yourself a little bit? I mean, I know you’re not a multi-millionaire champion yet, but is it a little bit humbling to have to go like, you know, get away from your home and your surroundings and go into this, you know, hall, basically.
Cody Durden: Yeah, but, you know, without great sacrifice, a lot of things can’t be obtained, and, you know, I’m going for that three-fight win streak and I’m trying to get a number by my name and climb the rankings, and it’s what I have to do, and I feel like I made the right decision.
JM: Very cool. Well, it’s great of Dan Lambert and the whole American Top Team community to have that, so all right, let’s talk it. Last time out, you faced the heavily hyped Carlos Mota. A lot of people were talking about, you know, this guy’s the next big thing, is the prospect. You end up getting a hard-fought win. Talk to me about that victory and kind of what it represented for you.
Cody Durden: Yeah, I mean, it was a tough fight. You know, I took the fight on six-day notice, just like he did, as well. My other opponent pulled out the Friday before the weigh ins, so going into that fight, you know, I wasn’t prepared for the type of fighter he was, but I believe in myself, and at the end of the day, I’m a fighter, so I fight. I don’t turn down UFC fights. I show up, I make weight, and it’s what I love to do, and I really enjoy it. Going back to that fight, though, you know, I felt like I could have done more on top, but he’s a well-trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. He kept rolling for leglocks. I felt like he wasn’t making any initiative to get up, so, you know, the fight could be won that way or it could be won standing on the feet where one of us could get knocked out. I took the smarter approach, and it paid off for me, and, you looking back, I told my coach after the fight, I said, ‘Man, he just didn’t break. He maintained his strength.’ He was so strong, and, you know, he failed two drug tests. He failed the day that we fought, and he failed three weeks later, so, you know, maybe he took it accidentally or maybe he knew what he was putting in his body, but you can’t be doing PEDs in this sport.
JM: Yeah. I was going to ask you about that. Like, we don’t know the circumstances yet, right? I mean, it could be a tainted supplement. We don’t know that, but what we do know is he did test positive and he’s going to have to suffer the repercussions of it. But I just wonder, you as an athlete, you know, when you read afterwards, if somebody did test positive or something, like what are the emotions that you feel? Is it anger? Is it – I mean, I don’t know. I just can’t imagine being in that position. You know, like ‘I got in the cage, and I found out that guy wasn’t necessarily playing on the level.’
Cody Durden: Well, I mean, it could have went two different ways. I could have lost, and he failed his drug test, it turned into a no contest, and of course, I would be pissed. But, you know, it went my way. I won the fight, and he still failed for PEDs, and it’s a well-known Russian PED. All you’ve got to do is Google it, and I don’t know. I don’t know if he knew what he was taking or if he didn’t know what he was taken. But either way, it was in his body. He didn’t put it down when he took the drug test. You know, we’re supposed to know what we put in our body. He said he was prescribed it for COVID. Man, I’ve had COVID three times. I’ve never failed. Out of my 25 drug test that I’ve had, I’ve never failed it for for anything, so who knows, man? But best wishes to him and his future endeavors.
JM: I respect that. The win, itself. How important was that, right? Because I know you’ve got your goals set high and you’re looking to work up the rankings, but you just had a couple setbacks and weird results, and, you know, so to get back-to-back victories, I guess, just how important was that for you to, I guess, get that confidence and know that, ‘Hey, I’m on the right path’?
Cody Durden: Yeah, it was everything to me. You know, I put my heart and soul into this. I sacrifice a lot. Take time away from my family, you know, miss my kids’ soccer games and my kids’ baseball games and such, and just the sacrifice for my job, you know? This is what I love to do, and I’m really, really – this camp’s going incredibly well. I’m training with Pantoja, Kyoji, Zhalgas, Adriano Moraes, and I feel like it’s all coming together for me.
JM: Incredible. You know, I hate to maybe bring up the sore feelings, but I guess missing the kids, that’s got to be the toughest, right? I know when I travel, I’m gone for a week at a time, and I’m missing, you know, unfortunately, I’m not at the soccer practice or not taking him to jiu-jitsu. I mean, is that the hardest part maybe of being away from home?
Cody Durden: Yeah, it does. It sucks, man, because at first, you know, I’m a father, a husband, but at the same time, I’ve got to provide. I’ve got to put food on the plate and, you know, they’re relying on me for their success in life and so that we’re not broke and we have the nice things that we have. So you know how it is. You lose two, you’re out. You lose three, you’re out, so I’m just trying to climb the ladder and get to that next contract and get to that number next to my name, and, you know, I’m willing to sacrifice it all right now.
JM: Respect to that, man. All right, well Charles Johnson is the man that’ll be on the other side of the cage in your upcoming matchup. I guess break him down. I mean, are you somebody that likes to watch a lot of film, likes to study your opponent. Do you leave the coaches to do that. Obviously, you’ve got a pretty good coaching staff to scout people, but what are your thoughts on Charles?
Cody Durden: Man, I watch a lot of film, and I feel like, you know, he’s had a lot of fights in the last five months or nine months or whatever it is, but, you know, you’ve got to take time off to develop, and I don’t think he’s developing like he should. You can see the development throughout my UFC career. Yeah, man, it’s going to be exciting fight. He’s durable. I know he’s he’s a great striker. You know, he thinks I’m coming in there to wrestle, but, you know, I’m coming in there for violence. I’m coming in there for that next contract. I’m coming in there for that $50,000 bonus, and it’s not going to be aggressive violence. It’s going to be precise – a sniper from one mile away – that kind of violence.
JM: I love it, man. That gets you excited right there – and I guess, you know, you talked about it. You want to climb the rankings. I mean, do you feel like a win here and it’s time to get a ranked opponent next? Do you feel like you’ve got a you got to call people out? I know you don’t mind stirring the pot a little bit, so how do you get that done?
Cody Durden: Hey, you’ve got to admit, I’ve chilled out. I’ve got a little bit of that humble pie, you know? But yeah, man, the same guy is still in me, you know? It’s just a little more calculated now. You’ve got to see the results and the in the training room and and really believe in yourself and and get out there and and and get the job done. That’s first priority, and then, you know, the call outs come, and then the number next to your name comes, but you know, I’ll fight anybody, man. Anybody.
JM: That’s awesome. I know the timing doesn’t line up exactly right, but you mentioned like training alongside Pantoja, who we now officially know is fighting for the title. Granted, he’s in a different part of his training camp right now, but I guess, I mean what is that like for you being on the mats with somebody in your weight class, you know, that’s about to fight for a UFC title?
Cody Durden: Oh, that’s great, man. I mean, we did five rounds today. He gave me a nice little shiner.
JM: Pantoja gave you that one?
Cody Durden: Yeah, yeah. He gave me a nice little shiner, so – dude, it’s awesome, man. Getting down here, training with the best guys, you know – every single round, you’ve got to have that dog in you, you know? You’ve got to tell that little guy in the back of your mind that’s telling you, ‘OK, quit,’ you’ve got to shut him out, and that’s what I’ve been doing, man, just grinding every single day – and man, Pantoja is the man. I learn a lot from him.
JM: I love it, man. I imagine you’re going to be leaning in his direction when that title fight comes? I mean, obviously he’s facing a great champion in Brandon Moreno, but they’ve got some history together, right? So Pantoja gets it done again?
Cody Durden: Absolutely. Absolutely. There’s no doubt about it in my mind. He’s beat him twice and, you know, he’s not underestimating him. I talked to him about it, and, you know, he’s going to be the champion. I really think that.
JM: I love it. That history makes this fight so exciting, so I cannot wait for that one, but first, of course, it’s you and Charles Johnson, April 29. I guess talk me about the goal here. I mean, you talked about coming and bringing violence. I mean, is this you know, ‘I need to make a statement’ kind of win here. You’re looking for that new deal. You’re looking for that bonus. You feel like you got to go out there and do something special?
Cody Durden: Yeah, exactly, man. I’ve got to go out there and be calculated and just really be present in the moment, you know, and get the finish, you know? I want to be the first guy to finish Charles Johnson, and a lot of people, you know, they go to work and they live this believable life and, you know, they do things that are believable. My whole life, I’ve been wanting to do things that are unbelievable, and to go out there and finish Charles Johnson, according to the odds or whatnot, it’d be unbelievable – and I think I can do it.
JM: Phenomenal. Well said, Cody. I appreciate the time, Cody. Best of luck in the rest of your preparation. Safe travels and we’ll see you here in Las Vegas on April 29.
Cody Durden: Thank you, John Morgan, and always remember, you are the man. I love your interviews and love watching you, bro. Keep it up.
JM: Thank you, brother. Much appreciated. We’ll see you soon.
Cody Durden: See you bud.
