LAS VEGAS – Sounds like Dominick Cruz won’t have to wait long to get a chance to regain the gold he never lost in the cage.
The former UFC and WEC bantamweight champion made a spectacular return to the Octagon on Saturday night after a three-year layoff. Cruz (20-1) needed just over a minute to finish Takeya Mizugaki, who came into the fight on a five-fight win streak, at UFC 178.
Cruz has never lost a fight at 135 pounds, as he improved to 10-0 in the weight class.
And according to UFC president Dana White, that’s enough evidence that Cruz deserves the opportunity to get a crack at the belt he had to relinquish due to lingering injury issues earlier this year.
At the UFC 178 post-fight press conference at the MGM Grand, White said Cruz will be the next opponent for current champion T.J. Dillashaw.
“Nobody does that to Mizugaki, nobody,” White said. “[Cruz] didn’t lose his belt, I think he was the unluckiest man on earth. He’s the guy.”
White did not commit to a time frame on when the bout would take place.
The odd man out appears to be Raphael Assancao, who meets Bryan Caraway next weekend. Assancao, has won six straight fights and owns a victory over Dillashaw,