Dominick Cruz to Have Surgery, UFC Bantamweight Champ Out Up to Six Months

Dominick Cruz is joining fellow UFC champions Jose Aldo and Cain Velasquez on the sidelines, as the bantamweight title-holder is slated to undergo surgery for a broken left index finger this week that could sideline him up to six months, according to ESPN.
“It could be six months, but I’m not planning on six months,” Cruz said. “I’ll say that it will take me eight weeks to recover and 12 weeks to punch again. [My return] has nothing to do with me being ready. That has to do with the UFC booking cards. I can’t book myself on a card if I’m not ready. Bottom line is just finding that opening on a card and having the time right on my hand.”
Cruz (17-1) suffered the injury while training for an August title defense over Joseph Benvidez, but delayed surgery to win the UFC title over Scott Jorgensen last month at WEC 53.
With an early-summer return expected, Cruz hopes to avenge his only loss to former WEC featherweight champ Urijah Faber, who faces former title-holder Eddie Wineland at March’s UFC 128.