Dominick Cruz Cleared To Return, Reveals Target Date

Dominick Cruz is ready to get back inside the Octagon.

The former UFC 135-pound champ was forced out of a previously scheduled match-up with Jimmie Rivera back in December due to an arm injury. Cruz and fellow FOX analyst Michael Bisping, spoke at a media event yesterday (Thurs. July 26, 2018) at the Fairmont Palliser in Canada.

When asked about when mixed martial arts (MMA) fans might see him return to action, Cruz revealed he was recently cleared to compete a doctor. He hopes to fight the winner of the UFC 227 pay-per-view (PPV) main event between TJ Dillashaw and Cody Garbrandt for the bantamweight title by the end of the year (via MMA Fighting):

“I don’t know, I just got cleared by the doctor so I’m good to go,” said Cruz. “I’ll talk to (UFC matchmaker Sean) Shelby, I’ll talk to everybody. I’m on track though.

“So I will be going to fight. I’m going to fight before the end of the year is my goal so we’ll see what happens. … I know T.J. Dillashaw and Cody are fighting and I should be having the winner of that.

“That’s what everybody wants to see so hopefully somebody gets some wits about them and gives me that fight right away. We’ll see what happens.”

Cruz has had run-ins with both Garbrandt and Dillashaw before. Cruz defeated Dillashaw back in January of 2016 to recapture the 135-pound title. He lost the strap to Garbrandt at the end of the year via unanimous decision.

His collision with Garbrandt in December of 2016 was the last we’ve seen of Cruz inside the cage due to a string of injuries keeping him sidelined. Cruz has a pre-installed rivalry with both Dillashaw and Garbrandt, so either match-up would receive a proper build-up to get fans hyped.

With rising contender Marlon Moraes waiting in the wings, however, Cruz might find himself in an eliminator fight before getting the title nod right off the bat.