Cody Garbrandt is a walking canvas. Honestly, if you've watched a single UFC bantamweight fight in the last decade, you've seen the ink before you've seen the footwork. He’s got the wings on his neck, the grenade on his hand, and a back piece that probably cost more than my first car. But lately, everyone is obsessed with one specific bit of ink: the Cody Garbrandt eye tattoo.
Wait, which one?
That’s the thing. People get confused because Cody doesn't just have one "eye" tattoo. He has a symbolic eye on his hand, and more recently, a polarizing dagger that slices right through the orbital bone area of his face. If you're looking for the deep, spiritual meaning behind every needle prick, you've come to the right place.
The Hand Eye: Watching the Prey
Let's talk about the hand first. For years, fans noticed a stylized eye sitting on the back of Garbrandt's hand, often visible when he’s tucking his chin or throwing that legendary right hook.
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It’s not just "cool" art. In the fight game, your hands are your livelihood. Cody has talked before about how his tattoos represent a timeline of his life and his mindset in the cage. The eye on the hand is often associated with the "All-Seeing Eye" or the "Evil Eye" (Hamsa/Nazar) concepts, but for a fighter like "No Love," it takes on a more predatory vibe.
It’s about awareness.
When he’s in the pocket, swinging for the fences, that eye is technically "looking" at his opponent even when his own face is tucked behind a shoulder. It’s a bit of psychological warfare. You’re being watched by the hand that’s about to put you to sleep.
That Viral Face Tattoo: The Dagger Through the Eye
In July 2024, right around his 33rd birthday, Cody decided to level up the "intimidating" factor. He went to the shop and came out with a massive sword—a dagger, really—that starts above his right eyebrow and finishes on his cheekbone.
Social media, naturally, lost its mind.
The internet is a cruel place. People were asking if he "lost a bet" or if he was "morphing into a clown." But if you know Cody’s journey, this wasn't some impulsive drunken mistake. He’s always used his body to tell a story of battle.
The dagger through the eye is a classic "Old School" or "Neo-Traditional" tattoo motif. It typically symbolizes:
- Betrayal: A blade through the eye often represents having seen things you wish you hadn't, or being "blinded" by a betrayal.
- The Warrior’s Path: It signifies a willingness to fight through pain, even if it means losing an eye in the process.
- Focus: It’s a literal mark of a killer's focus.
The artist behind some of his most famous work, including that insane gladiator back piece, is often cited as Nic Westfall (@WestfallTattoo). While Cody hasn't given a 20-minute documentary-style explanation for the face dagger yet, it fits his "kill or be killed" brand perfectly.
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Why the Backlash?
Let’s be real. Face tattoos are still a lightning rod for criticism, even in the MMA world where guys literally bleed for a living.
When Cody first got the neck wings, people said he was ruining his "marketability." Then he became the World Champion and suddenly everyone wanted neck wings. The eye/dagger tattoo on his face is just the latest version of that cycle.
Some fans argue that the placement is slightly off. If you look at it from a side profile, it looks straight. From the front? The curve of the human skull makes the blade look a bit "bent." That’s just the reality of tattooing a curved surface. Parallax is a bitch, basically.
The "Grenade" Jinx
While we’re talking about his hands, we have to mention the grenade. Cody once admitted that he got a grenade tattooed on his hand to symbolize the power he carries.
The irony? He broke that same hand multiple times after getting the ink.
He’s joked that it might have been a jinx. This tells you everything you need to know about Cody’s relationship with tattoos: they are emotional, symbolic, and sometimes a little bit "cursed." The eye tattoo on his hand was likely meant to be a corrective to that—a way to "see" the punches coming and protect the weapon.
Why the Cody Garbrandt Eye Tattoo Matters to Fans
People don't just search for his tattoos because they want a Pinterest board. They search because Cody Garbrandt represents a specific era of the UFC.
He was the "Young Gun" who dethroned Dominick Cruz in one of the greatest displays of "the zone" we’ve ever seen. Since then, his career has been a rollercoaster. Every new tattoo feels like a new layer of armor he’s putting on to deal with the pressure of the sport.
The eye on his hand and the dagger through his eye aren't just ink. They are symbols of a man who is constantly evolving—or at least trying to.
Your Next Moves for Tattoo Inspiration
If you’re thinking about getting something similar to Cody's ink, here is some actual advice from someone who watches too much tape and spends too much time in tattoo shops:
- Check the Anatomy: Face tattoos like Cody’s dagger move when you smile or squint. If you want a straight line, go to a specialist who knows how to map a face.
- Hand Tattoos Fade: That eye on Cody’s hand looks great on camera, but hand ink "blows out" or fades faster than almost anywhere else. Be ready for touch-ups every couple of years.
- Meaning Over Hype: Cody gets tattoos that mean something to him. Don't copy the dagger just because it looked cool on a UFC 300-era weigh-in. Make it your own.
- Find the Artist: If you want the "Garbrandt look," research artists who specialize in Black and Grey Realism or Neo-Traditional. Nic Westfall (Skull Museum) is the gold standard for Cody's style.
Whether you think the face ink is a masterpiece or a disaster, you can't deny one thing: you're looking at him. And that was probably the point all along.