Okay, so I saw this tattoo, Cody Garbrandt’s back tattoo, and I thought, “Man, that’s a huge piece, I wonder how long that took?” So I started digging around to find out more about it. Turns out, it’s a pretty popular topic among MMA fans.
First, I scoured the internet, looking at various forums and MMA news sites. There were tons of discussions about the tattoo, with people speculating about its meaning and how many sessions it must have taken. Some people said it was a lion, others a tiger, it got pretty heated! It’s wild how much people get into these details.

Then, I dove into some interviews with Cody himself. It turns out he hasn’t explicitly said too much about the tattoo’s meaning, which has only added to the mystery. But I did find some clips where he talked about his tattoo artist, and how he trusts him completely. That’s gotta be a big deal when you’re getting something that big and permanent on your body.
- I watched a bunch of videos of Cody getting inked.
- It looked like he had multiple sessions, sometimes with other tattoos being done at the same time.
- It’s hard to tell exactly how many hours went into it.
- Based on what I saw, and what other tattoo enthusiasts were saying, I’d guess it took at least 30-40 hours, maybe even more.
- Imagine sitting in that chair for that long!
After all that, I still don’t have a definitive answer on how long it took to complete Cody Garbrandt’s back tattoo. But it was fun to go down that rabbit hole and learn more about the process. It definitely gave me a new appreciation for the dedication and artistry involved in large-scale tattoos. Plus, it’s always interesting to see how much fans connect with their favorite fighters, even through something like a tattoo. One thing’s for sure, that’s a piece of art that Cody will be carrying with him for life, and it’s definitely a conversation starter!
From Zero to Hero
It got me thinking, if I ever wanted to do something like that I should start small. So, I practiced some tattoo designs on some fruit first – oranges, to be precise. Then, I bought a cheap tattoo kit online. The kit came with some practice skin, so I started there. I spent hours just getting the feel for the machine, the needles, and how to make clean lines.
Let me tell you, it’s not as easy as it looks. It took a lot of trial and error before I even thought about trying it on myself. I mean, I had to learn how to hold it right, how deep to go, and how to keep a steady hand. A lot of practice skin was used in this process, and finally, I felt ready enough to do a small design on my ankle.
It was nerve-wracking, but I did it! It was a small design, but it was a start. And you know what? I was pretty proud of myself. It felt like a real accomplishment. From there, I started doing small tattoos on friends and family. Each time, I learned something new and got a little bit better.