Jose Aldo and Dominick Cruz are two of the most popular fighters to ever come out of the WEC. Both have found tremendous success in the UFC, as well, and now finally seem to be on a crash course to face each other. Rumors are circulating that Aldo vs. Cruz will be taking place sometime this summer.
This is a dream fight for many fans. Cruz and Aldo are finally fighting in the same weight class and everyone is curious to see how they match up inside the Octagon. Today, we’re going to talk about how a fight between them might play out.
Let’s get into it!
The UFC’s Bantamweight Division is a Mess Right Now
Just a few weeks ago, the UFC bantamweight title was up for grabs once again. Petr Yan, the champion at the time, took on Aljamain Sterling in his first title defense. It was an exciting matchup and fans around the world were torn on who would win this bout.
The majority of online sports betting sites listed Yan as the betting favorite in this matchup. Sterling had been on a tear, though, and was coming off a first-round submission over Cory Sandhagen. By the time they both stepped into the cage, no one knew what to expect.
Sterling came out firing early. Yan was more methodical and started to take over as the fight progressed. Out of the blue, these men found themselves in a brief scramble on the mat and Yan landed a devastating illegal knee to Sterling’s head. Aljamain was then declared the winner by disqualification.
This was the first time a UFC title was ever won by disqualification. It leaves the bantamweight division in limbo. A rematch between Yan and Sterling is expected to take place in the future. The contenders are now scrambling to earn a shot at the winner.
There are a huge number of world-class fighters competing in the bantamweight division right now. It’s anyone’s guess who will be holding the title by the end of the year. Fans will be treated to some fantastic bouts at 135 pounds over the next few months.
Dominick Cruz and Jose Aldo are two of the most experienced fighters in the division. Reports are indicating that we could see them fighting later this year.
Expect to See Aldo vs. Cruz Taking Place This Summer
Back in 2001, the first WEC event was held in Lemoore, California. Over the next decade, this promotion became one of the most successful MMA leagues on the planet. It was one of the only big-name promotions to feature the lighter weight divisions and helped to turn fighters like Urijah Faber and Carlos Condit into superstars.
Jose Aldo and Dominick Cruz were two of the most dominant champions in the WEC for years. In 2011, they were both transferred to the UFC. Aldo became the UFC’s featherweight champion and Cruz was given the bantamweight title.
No one thought we’d ever seen these men competing. The size difference seemed too large at the time and both were ruling over their respective weight classes. Aldo is now at bantamweight, however, and now seems interested in a super-fight against Cruz sometime this year.
“It’s a big fight to make, Dominick and me, because of our importance [in the sport],” Aldo said. “We were both WEC champions and then came to the UFC as champions, so it’s a big fight to make. [Garbrandt] asked for the fight and I agreed right away, but the UFC shot it down. [Garbrandt] and I had already agreed, it was all set, and the UFC didn’t think it was a great fight, they wanted him to fight Rob Font… But we’ve been asking for Dominick Cruz for a while now and that’s a fight everybody asks for. We’re expecting to fight him.”
This is one of the biggest bantamweight fights the UFC can put together right now. Long-time WEC fans would love to see how these men stack up against one another. Nothing has been official but it would not be a shock to see this fight made sometime this summer.
There are many cards that Aldo vs. Cruz would fit on nicely. This event could also serve as a main event for any ESPN+ fight night event. We’ll be sure to offer updates on this possible bout over the next few weeks.
Will Sandhagen vs. Dillashaw Determine the Next #1 Contender at Bantamweight?
There is a lot happening at bantamweight right now. All signs point to Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan competing in a rematch later this year. That leaves the division’s contenders left to fight each other.
Cory Sandhagen and TJ Dillashaw are set to compete against one another on May 8. This fight is almost guaranteed to determine the next number-one contender in the weight class. Sandhagen is coming off two incredible knockout victories and Dillashaw is a former champion coming off a lengthy suspension.
BetOnline is now offering some tremendous odds on this bout. This site has grown to become one of the most popular online sportsbooks in the world. The MMA odds here are some of the best available online.
Cory Sandhagen comes into this bout as the -170 favorite. He’s a special kind of striker and seems like he is better than ever right now. His most recent first-round knockout over Frankie Edgar was one of the best in UFC history.
TJ Dillashaw was widely considered one of the sport’s pound-for-pound fighters during his run as a champion. Unfortunately, he tested positive for EPO in 2019 and has been suspended ever since. Perhaps due to that long layoff, he comes into this bout as the +145 underdog.
Do you think we’ll see Aldo vs. Cruz this year? If so, who do you think would come out on top? Let us know in the comments section below!
Kevin Oldroyd
A longtime sports and gambling enthusiast, Kevin looks to present up-to-date and reliable information for readers. If he’s not writing, he’s probably watching MMA or playing blackjack. …
