UFC men's bantamweight champion Cody Garbrandt will not face Dominick Cruz in an immediate rematch for the title and will now instead face former champion T.J. Dillashaw.
Garbrandt dethroned Cruz at UFC 207 via unanimous decision in December and has signed up for the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter where he will act as a coach opposite Dillashaw.
"The Ultimate Fighter: Redemption" is the 25th season of the show and is set to feature an all-star cast of former participants from the franchise. The show will premiere on April 19, it was announced during Sunday's UFC Fight Night 103.
Cody Garbrandt celebrters being crowned UFC men's bantamweight champion. He defeat Dominick Cruz via unanimous decision at UFC 207 last December. Image: John Locher AP/Press Association Images
The pair will go head-to-head as coaches in the new series and should stoke the flames of rivalry for a championship bout later in the year. No date has yet been put forward for the fight.
In the immediate aftermath of his victory, Garbradt (11-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) had discussed possible bouts that he would be interested in taking. "No Love" discussed the possibility of an immediate rematch with Cruz, who is widely considered one of the best bantamweights in the history of MMA.
Another bout put forward by the Team Alpha Male fight was an all-champion clash against 145lbs kingpin, Jose Aldo.
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