Now, let’s all try not to get too excited about the news we’re about to deliver, because we all know the long and heartbreaking history of one of the competitors involved, but OMG DOMMY CRUZ VS TJ DILLY IS FINALLY GON’ HAPPEN!!!!!!
Actual details after the jump.
After being cleared to resume training by his doctors earlier this week, Dominick Cruz was immediately booked to take on the man who rose to championship gold in his absence, TJ Dillashaw. The two will determine who is the true bantamweight champion once and for all on January 16th at UFC Fight Night 81 at a location TBD (but potentially the TD Garden in Boston). That’s right, we’re getting possibly the greatest bantamweight matchup of all time…FO FREE.
“The Dominator” has not competed since his shellacking of Takeya Mizugaki back in September of 2014, which itself came following a three year layoff he spent recovering, re-injuring, and re-re-recovering from various ACL, *A*CL, and groin injuries (and lest we forget, ACL injuries as well). Dillashaw, meanwhile, has risen to the top 5 pound-for-pound rankings with his recent destructions of Joe Soto and Renan Barao, the latter of which came in an absolutely brilliant performance at UFC on FOX 16 in July.
As if that news wasn’t great enough, it looks like we’ll be treated to an incredible lightweight matchup at Fight Night 81 as well, in the form of former UFC lightweight champion Anthony Pettis vs. former Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez. On the heels of a title-losing effort against Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC 185, Pettis will look to put himself back in title contention with a win over Alvarez, who is fresh off a decision victory over a slightly juiced-up Gil Melendez at UFC 188.
What a card this will be if all goes according to plan.
(We’ll be sure to let you know when Cruz blows both his knees out in November.)
The post Eddie Alvarez vs. Anthony Pettis (!) & TJ Dillashaw vs. Dominick Cruz (!!) Booked for Fight Night 81 appeared first on Cagepotato.