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#4. Dominick Cruz vs. Sean O'Malley
Let's start off with the one major downside to this potential match-up. Dominick Cruz is ranked no. 7 whilst Sean O'Malley is ranked no. 13, so this fight might not do much to get the veteran to the title shot he wants. With that being said, there are also a few reasons why it could be a good fit.
O'Malley has become one of the biggest stars in the UFC, let alone the bantamweight division. Pairing him against Cruz would make a big-time fight that would draw plenty of mainstream attention. While a win over O'Malley might not help massively in the rankings, it would get a lot of people focusing on Cruz.
If the former champion were to win this fight, he would create a lot of demand to see him fight for the title once again. However, it would likely not be enough to get him there right away. Given that there are fights out there that would get Cruz closer to securing a title shot, it seems unlikely to be next.
#3. Dominck Cruz vs. T.J. Dillashaw II
Once again, let's start with some potential obstacles for this fight. T.J. Dillashaw is the no. 2 ranked bantamweight and is closer to a title fight than Dominick Cruz. Dillashaw never lost the belt and may be next in line for a title shot having returned from suspension with a win over Cory Sandhagen.
While this may lead you to believe that Dillashaw might be out of reach for Cruz as an opponent, that may not be the case. Dillashaw's win over Sandhagen was highly controversial and he suffered injuries in that fight that are still keeping him out of action.
Jose Aldo is on a three-fight winning streak and may now have a better case for a title shot than a man who hasn't had a clear-cut win since 2018. If the UFC agrees and Aldo gets the next title shot, a fight between Cruz and Dillashaw is perfect. Seeing these fierce rivals fight once again would be a real treat.
