If Dominick Cruz has his way, then his next fight will be for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight title.
“The Dominator” was stunned by Cody Garbrandt back in Dec. 2016. Cruz lost his 135-pound gold via unanimous decision in the co-main event of UFC 207. Cruz decided not to take an immediate rematch, so now Garbrandt will defend his title against T.J. Dillashaw on July 8 at UFC 213.
During a recent appearance on MMAFighting.com‘s “The MMA Hour,” Cruz said he’ll be ready for a title opportunity once Garbrandt and Dillashaw have fought:
“I’d like to come back and fight for the title. That’s my goal. I wasn’t completely out of that (Garbrandt) fight come that fifth round. I was still in the fight. I was in the fight the entire time, so I definitely want to get another shot at that, and that’s what I’m looking for and focused on more than anything, is fighting the winner of T.J. Dillashaw (versus) Cody Garbrandt. That’s what I want. I think that’s what the fans want.”
Not only does Cruz want the next crack at bantamweight gold, he feels he’s earned that opportunity.
“I’m here to fight the best in the world, to fight for the title, and I think that I’ve earned that position. And if I got completely to where I wasn’t even in that (Garbrandt) fight, I could understand. But I was in that fight from beginning to end, and in that fifth round, I would even say that I won. So there’s still a case for me in this match-up with Cody or T.J., either one of them.”
