Sign up for ESPN+ right here, and you can then stream the UFC live on
your smart TV, computer, phone, tablet or streaming device via the
ESPN app. Pedro
Munhoz has decided not to move to flyweight just yet. On Wednesday night,
MMA Fighting was the first to report the bantamweight matchup
between Munhoz (19-6, 1 NC) and Dominick
Cruz (23-3) at UFC
269. Per the report, one that was later confirmed by
other outlets, the two have agreed to their Dec. 11 meeting but
the contracts have not been signed. Should it come to fruition,
Munhoz and Cruz are expected to face off inside the T-Mobile Arena
in Las Vegas.
Munhoz has lost three of four, with defeats coming to current
bantamweight king Aljamain
Sterling as well as ex-lightweight champ Frankie
Edgar and former featherweight titleholder Jose Aldo.
Along the way, he won a thrilling rematch against Jimmie
Rivera to even their record to one and one against one another.
In his last five appearances, “The Young Punisher” has captured
three “Fight of the Night” bonuses.
The inaugural Ultimate Fighting ChampionshipUFC bantamweight
champ Cruz returned from an over three-year layoff in 2020 to fight
for the belt against Henry
Cejudo, and “The Dominator” fell short to suffer the first
knockout loss of his career. He came back in March, and he won a
split verdict over Casey
Kenney. Before losing the strap to Cody
Garbrandt in 2016, Cruz prevailed 13 times in a row, racking up
wins over names including Demetrious
Johnson, T.J.
Dillashaw, Urijah Faber
twice and Joseph
Benavidez two times as well.
UFC 269’s headliner of Charles
Oliveira vs. Dustin
Poirier for lightweight gold has not been made official by the
promotion, but it has been reported to serve as its main event. The
co-marquee matchup sees Amanda
Nunes defend her bantamweight throne against Julianna
Pena, while Brandon
Moreno and Deiveson
Figueiredo will run it back again to conclude their flyweight
championship trilogy.
