(photo courtesy Zuffa/Josh Hedges)
The newest man to capture the bantamweight title in the recently highly competitive division, Dominick Cruz, will defend his belt for the first time against top contender Joseph Benavidez at WEC 50 in August.
Cruz confirmed the match up and the event via his official Twitter account earlier today.
“It’s official peeps,” reads the post. “Me vs. Benavidez again! I’m pumped! And will (be) more than ready to defend MY belt!”
Cruz earned the title at WEC 47 when he defeated Brian Bowles via technical knockout due to injury. Bowles was forced to throw in the towel after the second round due to a broken hand, but, regardless of the injury, Cruz easily took the first two rounds on points. He earned the title shot after defeating Benavidez at WEC 42 in a rather uneven match up at the time.
Benavidez seeks revenge against Cruz at WEC 50 after earning the title shot following a submission victory against Miguel Torres at WEC 47 in a bout he dominated from the opening bell. When he meets Cruz for a second time, just over one year will have passed since the last time the two fought in the promotion.
WEC 50 is expected for August 18 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The card is expected to include Urijah Faber’s drop down to the 135-pound division where he will meet Takeya Mizugaki, which could end up as the co-main event of the evening. A lightweight bout between contenders Anthony Pettis and Shane Roller has also been rumored to make the main card.
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Dominick Cruz To Defend Title Against Benavidez At WEC 50