White unsure of Cruz and Barao return dates, would advise Wineland to fight

WINNIPEG – With the bantamweight title picture in major flux, UFC President Dana White said he’s unsure just when his champion will be back – let alone his interim titleholder.

With Dominick Cruz (19-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) on the shelf for about 20 months since his most recent title defense, interim champ Renan Barao (30-1 MMA, 5-0 UFC) was set to put his strap on the line against Eddie Wineland (20-8-1 MMA, 2-2 UFC) in the main event of Saturday’s UFC 161, which takes place at MTS Centre in Winnipeg.

But Barao suffered a foot injury this past month, wiping that fight out and bumping a light heavyweight bout between Rashad Evans and Dan Henderson into the headlining spot.

White on Thursday told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) he doesn’t have a prognosis for Cruz or Barao.

“No on either,” White said. “I heard for Barao, it was ligaments, and those are never good. You’d actually rather break a bone than have that happen.”

White previously has told MMAjunkie.com that in the case of Cruz, who has been sidelined with back-to-back knee surgeries, he wouldn’t be placed in a position where he would be stripped of his title – provided he’s able to return and doesn’t suffer another injury in the process. Then all bets might be off.

But if he remains sidelined for much longer, and Barao’s injury keeps him out for an extended time, as well, what then? White joked that yet another interim belt – which would be a first – wasn’t going to happen.

“It’d be goofy if we had to do an interim to the interim,” White said. “But we’re letting Dominick Cruz get well. He’s a good kid, and like I said, if he can’t get healthy, we’ll go from there.”

So what, then, for Wineland, who has been given no guarantees that he’ll get an automatic crack at either the interim belt or the regular belt if he sits out and waits?

White has seen these kinds of things happen in the past with fighters like Evans, who decided to wait for a title shot only to get injured himself, leading to Jon Jones getting a title fight – and a belt he’s never relinquished. And White said if he was in Wineland’s shoes, he’d stay active and hope everything works out.

“Yeah, (I’d take a fight),” White said. “Look at what Rashad did. Rashad sat out all that time waiting for the title, didn’t make money, didn’t have fights. Your window in sports is ultimately very (small). Then the fight was set and he got hurt. Yeah, (he got back to a title shot) a year and a half later – a year and a half later. He could’ve fought five times while he was waiting.

If you truly believe you’re the best, you’re going to win anyway. I’m always an advocate of fight as much as you can. You stay in great shape and your timing gets better with every fight.”

Cruz and Barao are ranked 1-2 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie.com MMA bantamweight rankings. Wineland is No. 5 behind Urijah Faber and Michael McDonald, each of whom have fights booked for UFC on FOX Sports 1 1in Boston this August – Faber against Raphael Assuncao and McDonald against No. 6 Brad Pickett.

Wineland this week told MMAjunkie.com he’s hopeful Barao can return quickly and their interim title bout can be rescheduled. And if he can’t, he’s prepared for a worst-case scenario in which he has to fight again, looking for a third straight win, in order to stay working toward the goal of reclaiming a belt he was the first to hold when he was in the WEC.

For the latest on UFC 161, as well as the rest of the UFC’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.

(Pictured: Dominick Cruz)