After over 2 years on the sidelines, UFC Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz won’t be defending his strap against interim champion Renan Barao after all. Monday, it was revealed that Cruz had suffered a groin injury that will keep him out of his planned February 1st bout at UFC 169 with Barao, and will lead to him vacating his title immediately.
In his stead, Barao will now face former WEC Featherweight champion Urijah Faber in a rematch of their July 2012 battle for the interim strap, a fight that Barao won by unanimous decision.