The UFC has finalized a fun matchup in the bantamweight division. MMA Fighting was the first to report yesterday that the promotion had finalized a matchup between former UFC champion Dominick Cruz (23-3) and Pedro Munhoz (19-6, 1 NC).
The matchup will take place at UFC 269 on December 11th. This announcement came as a surprise for a lot of fans. Pedro Munhoz had been leaning towards moving down to the flyweight division after his last fight.
Munhoz was perhaps just a win away from a title shot at 135 back in 2019. He got the win of his career when he knocked out former UFC champion Cody Garbrandt in the first round which set up a fight against Aljamain Sterling.
However, it hasn’t been as smooth sailing for Munhoz after that matchup. Starting with the Sterling fight, Munhoz has gone 1-3 in his last four. The most recent matchup took place at UFC 265 when he took on Jose Aldo.
Aldo outclassed Munhoz on the feet and after the fight was over, Munhoz said he was going to drop to flyweight. However, there’s been a change of plans after he was offered to fight another former UFC champion.
What does UFC 269 mean for Dominick Cruz?
It’s been quite the roller coaster for Dominick Cruz in the UFC. At one point, he was considered to be on the road to being one of the best the sport has ever seen. However, injuries completely derailed his career.
Despite that, he’s still put together a Hall of Fame UFC resume. Cruz returned earlier this year when he took on Casey Kenney at UFC 259. For Cruz, it was the first time that he had fought twice in a 12 month period since back in 2016.
Cruz was able to edge out Kenney by a decision. After he got the win, he made it clear that he wants to continue climbing the ladder, but he didn’t say at what pace. Taking on Pedro Munhoz is a step up, but it’s not jumping to the top of the division.
Should Cruz pick up the win at UFC 269, I would expect a jump. However, if he falls short, that might spell the end of his career. I’m expecting a very game Munhoz which should make for a very fun fight in December.