• UFC 132

Bowles or Johnson to get next crack at Cruz

ESPN staff
July 3, 2011
Urijah Faber thought he had beaten Dominick Cruz © Getty Images
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Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber will get the chance to do it all over again after UFC 132, but the pair will not get an instant rematch.

UFC president Dana White wore a broad smile at the post-fight press conference after the world's best two bantamweights put on a show for the Las Vegas crowd, ending in a tight decision victory for Cruz.

Faber clearly thought he had done enough to win, dropping Cruz on three occasions, but it was the champion who landed more and pushed the pace. White had no issues with the decision, and he admits he cannot wait to see them do battle again.

"I wouldn't want to score that fight," White said. "It was a very good fight, back and forth, and we'll see what happens. Third fights are always fun, especially if they are as good as that one was."

Cruz and Faber now both hold a victory over each other, making the third clash a decider, but White allowed matchmaker Joe Silva answer the question about who Cruz's next title defence will be against.

"They do this to me every press conference," White joked to Silva. "They want me to make the whole next card."

Silva answered that Brian Bowles, who earned a unanimous decision over Takeya Mizugaki and previously lost to Cruz due to a damaged hand, or Demetrious Johnson - fresh off a win over Miguel Torres - will be the next challenger.

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