Dominick Cruz and TJ Dillashaw battled for five rounds in a UFC bantamweight classic in January. It marked Cruz’s return after another major knee injury, and he took back his spot on the throne of the 135-pound division.
The natural question following a title fight is who is the next challenger, and at bantamweight, there are only two realistic options: Dillashaw and his former mentor, Urijah Faber.
No. 2-ranked contender Renan Barao is moving up to 145 pounds, and the organization is embroiled in a contract negotiation with No. 5-ranked Aljamain Sterling. And No. 4-ranked Raphael Assuncao has been MIA since October 2014.
Who should it be? Which of the two title threats should get the call to battle Cruz one more time?
| Challenger | TJ Dillashaw | Urijah Faber |
| Age | 30 | 36 |
| Ranking | No. 1 Contender | No. 3 Contender |
| Last 5 Fights | 4-1 | 3-2 |
| vs. Cruz | 0-1 | 1-1 |
UFC
Both are worthy of getting the shot, but the decision of who gets the call will likely come down to how the UFC wants to manage the division moving forward.
Faber, the No. 3-ranked contender, is Cruz’s chief rival. There is history to sell the fight upon, and Faber did not do terribly in their last encounter at UFC 132 in 2011. It’s still a viable rematch.
Dillashaw is the No. 1-ranked contender in the division following the title loss. Considering how dominant he looked against the likes of Barao (twice) and Joe Soto, there was no expectation he would fall behind anyone in the pecking order.
By determining the title hierarchy strictly by the sporting aspect, it would be easy to deduce that Dillashaw is the rightful contender ahead of Faber. However, the UFC is a promotion and not a sport. It has to not only sell a fight, but also look forward to future title possibilities.
@superufc from a fighting aspect, Dillashaw is the fight to make. However, Faber is the money fight for Cruz. TJ needs to learn how to sell
— Jason Floyd (@Jason_Floyd) January 21, 2016
Dana White indicated to us today at radio row that Urijah Faber will get the next shot at newly minted champion Dominick Cruz.
— Carmichael Dave (@CarmichaelDave) February 3, 2016
Faber is the right choice for the UFC.
If the UFC books the immediate rematch between Cruz and Dillashaw, it runs the risk of hurting any future fights between the two. That is a risky proposition for this division in the long term.
Think of Rich Franklin and Joseph Benavidez and how they were always pressing their nose to the title window following their second losses to dominant champions. If Dillashaw is given room to breathe and another fight, then he can challenge again without the risk of being stuck on the outside for years to come.
The same risk is not there with Cruz vs. Faber III.
Cruz and Faber sit at 1-1 in their meetings, and given Faber's age and Cruz’s injury history, the window for this fight to be a true elite contest is rapidly closing. This may be the last time the UFC has the opportunity to book this fight as a main event.
If Faber wins, it leaves the UFC with several options moving forward. Should Cruz retain, the UFC stays in the same position it is in now without risking any future harm to the division. The same could not be said if Cruz retains in a second straight fight over Dillashaw.
Thankfully, Faber is a legitimate contender, and the UFC choosing him over the immediate rematch is not an egregious call. Sean Shelby, the UFC bantamweight matchmaker, should be working on this fight as we speak. It’s best for business.
