Dominick Cruz Targets August UFC Return, Eyes Summer Fight With Petr Yan
Former two-time UFC bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz has insisted he is ready to return to the sport right now, however, has failed to agree a date for a comeback with the organization – detailing how a fight against former champions, Petr Yan, or Jose Aldo – among others, interest him, potentially in August.
A two-time undisputed bantamweight champion, landed his second consecutive victory at UFC 269 back in December, rallying from a difficult opening round against Pedro Munhoz to defeat the Brazilian with a vintage unanimous decision win in the featured preliminary card matchup.
The win followed a prior March split decision win for Cruz against Casey Kenney – returning the San Diego native back to the winner’s enclosure following a pair of losses against former division champions, Henry Cejudo, and Cody Garbrandt.
Dominick Cruz welcomes an August return to the UFC
Speaking on his fighting future, Cruz maintains that a summer return – ideally in August would suit him most, as would a fight against the likes of former titleholders, Yan or Aldo.
“July, August, September,” Dominick Cruz said of a return date during an appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. “August 20. (UFC 278) and the one after that, would probably make most sense, it would give me more time. Thee rounds, I could it in July, but, you know. For five, I need eight weeks.”
“I would love to fight a (Petr) Yan,” Dominick Cruz explained. “Like, Yan was a former champion, he’s nasty, he’s one of the best. Like I said, (Jose) Aldo, (Merab) Dvalishvili – just somebody above me, man. It’s not like I’m asking for some kinda weird thing, I’m just asking just to keep moving up and fighting the best guys in the division. (T.J.) Dillashaw, Aljo (Aljamain Sterling) – give me him. …”
In his most recent title reign, Cruz returned from a series of catastrophic knee injuries to defeat the aforenoted, fellow former two-time titleholder, Dillashaw with a close, unanimous decision win in January 2016, before defeating Urijah Faber with a unanimous decision win in June of that year.
