The former champion was insistent that he merited another shot at the title after securing a win on this same date back in 2016.
As the UFC rolls out fight announcements for 2025, there has been considerable debate in recent weeks about which fighters truly deserve title opportunities and who might not. Lerone Murphy, for instance, has expressed disappointment in mixed martial arts after he was overlooked as Alexander Volkanovski’s next challenger for the featherweight title. Meanwhile, Arman Tsarukyan, having his hopes of a title shot delayed, recently stayed active by securing a win against Shara Magomedov, even though he currently doesn’t have a date set inside the Octagon. Claims about fighters feeling overlooked are common in the UFC, with one star’s complaints even prompting a humorous reaction from Dana White, the promotion’s president.
In 2016, Dominick Cruz made his return to the Octagon and triumphed over TJ Dillashaw to reclaim the bantamweight title he had to relinquish due to injury. Following her first title defense victory against Urijah Faber, a fellow Team Alpha Male fighter, she faced another competitor from the same camp in her third fight of the year. At UFC 207 on December 30, Cody Garbrandt stunned audiences by defeating Cruz in a co-main event title bout with an unprecedented performance.
Dillashaw, nicknamed “The Dominator,” was in line for a rematch, but after a dominant win over John Lineker earlier that evening, he declared he wanted to face whoever won the Cruz-Garbrandt fight. Dana White, summarizing the event on FOX Sports, joked that he might ignore Dillashaw despite excitement about a potential matchup, given Dillashaw’s former friendship and rivalry with Garbrandt. White humorously predicted Dillashaw would likely be the next new champion while calling him a “total conspiracy theorist” for his comments about fairness in title shots.
Cody Garbrandt’s surprising victory at UFC 207 was a standout moment, but his aggressive style eventually revealed vulnerabilities during subsequent fights against Dillashaw, who defeated him twice amid a personal rivalry. Dillashaw finally captured the title but controversially tested positive for drugs in a champion vs. champion bout against Henry Cejudo, leading to his stripping of the belt.
Fan Take: This story highlights the drama and intense rivalries that shape the UFC, reminding fans why the sport’s narrative and personal conflicts are just as compelling as the fights themselves. It also underscores how quickly fortunes can change, adding to the unpredictable thrill that keeps fans invested in every match.
