The former bantamweight champion could be returning to the cage this summer for the first time in nearly three years. It was reported this week on UFC Tonight the Dominick Cruz, the former UFC bantamweight champion, is targeting a return to the Octagon at UFC 177, that can be set to take place August 30 at Las Vegas, Nevada. According to Cruz’ head coach at Alliance MMA at San Diego, Eric Del Fierro, their camp needs Cruz to take on top contender Takeya Mizugaki in his comeback match. With a triumph over Mizugaki, Cruz would place himself near getting another crack at the belt at 135lbs. Cruz has not fought since October 2011, when he conquered current UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson via five-round unanimous decision in a strategic event. Total Cruz defended the UFC/WEC bantamweight title four occasions between 2010 and 2011 before suffering a major knee injury in 2012 which has kept him from the cage for over two decades now. However, it should be noted that he currently has among the greatest winning streaks of any fighter in the branch with 10-straight successes over the likes of Urijah Faber, Brian Bowles, Joseph Benavidez, Scott Jorgensen, Ian McCall, and the above Johnson. Despite lost so much time, the UFC let him hold onto his belt till last year, when enough was enough and the promotion stripped off the name from him and gave it to interim bantamweight champ Renan Barao. UFC president Dana White explained that Cruz would garner a direct name shot on his return to the cage, but using TJ Dillashaw upsetting Barao and carrying the name this past May at UFC 173, it makes more sense for Cruz to combat somebody else before getting another crack at the belt. A fight between Cruz and Mizugaki are outstanding, and it might help determine where exactly »The Dominator » fits in the division at the current time. At one point he had been considered one of the best five pound-for-pound fighters on earth, but after missing a long time with injury and with so much cage rust, it is logical for him to fight somebody first before obtaining his title shot, and the matchup involving Mizugaki leaves a great deal of sense. Whether this struggle goes does, Cruz would enter the struggle as a slight favorite but with this much time and also with Mizugaki on this a nice streak right now, there’s no way it’s a gimme struggle by any means and there might surely be an upset brewing if Cruz isn’t anywhere close to what he used to look like.
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