Dominick Cruz set for big payday against Cody Garbrandt as he lands co-main event slot at UFC 207
UFC bantamweight champion of the world Dominick Cruz lined up to face Cody Garbrandt as the co-main attraction on the same event as Ronda Rousey's long-awaited comeback
LUCKLESS bantamweight champion 's fortunes may finally be changing for the better.
Cruz has been matched with big-punching bantamweight contender Cody 'No Love' Garbrandt in a mouth-watering co-main event clash at in Las Vegas.
Cruz's placement on the December 30 card is a noteworthy one, and helps to give the slick stylist from San Diego the opportunity of a huge payday.
As a UFC champion, Cruz receives a share of pay-per-view revenue for events he competes in.
And slotted in as the co-main event attraction at UFC 207, Cruz is guaranteed a bumper payday, with the long-awaited return to action of 'Rowdy' , who faces UFC women's bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes, taking place in the night's main event.
It marks a change in fortunes for Cruz, who lost almost three years of his prime - and his UFC bantamweight title - to a succession of injuries.
After recovering from a succession of ACL operations to both knees and a torn groin, he returned to full fitness and reclaimed the UFC bantamweight title he never lost in the Octagon with a split-decision win over TJ Dillashaw in Boston in January.
And after successfully defending his belt against old rival Urijah Faber at UFC 199, Cruz re-established himself as one of the very best pound-for-pound fighters in the UFC.
Now he's set to face hard-hitting young contender Garbrandt at UFC 207 in a bout that sees Cruz up against the gym he's had a one-man rivalry with for years - Team Alpha Male.
UFC 207: Confirmed bouts
Amanda Nunes v Ronda Rousey
Champ Dominick Cruz v Cody Garbrandt
Cain Velasquez v Fabricio Werdum
Alex Garcia v Mike Pyle
Johny Hendricks v Neil Magny
Tim Means v Alex Oliveira
Matt Brown v Tarec Saffiedine
Antonio Carlos Junior v Marvin Vettori
Sabah Homasi v Brandon Thatch
His rivalry with Urijah Faber's famed gym spans many years, with Cruz's feud with Faber extending to fellow teammate Dillashaw.
Now that story continues as he looks to defeat his third opponent from the gym he likes to call 'Team Alpha Fail'.
