Jimmie Rivera is a happy man. Earlier this week, the UFC bantamweight contender got his next fight booking, and it’s a bout against former champion Dominick Cruz at UFC 219 on Dec. 30 in Las Vegas. Rivera has wanted to fight Cruz ever since Cruz lost the title to Cody Garbrandt last December.
“I’m super stoked,” Rivera told BloodyElbow.com. “It’s the fight that makes the most sense right now. I got a five-fight winning streak, I’ve beat the best. It’s time to fight the next person that’s the best so I can get a title shot.”
Rivera last fought in July, defeating Brazilian striker Thomas Almeida by unanimous decision. After that win, he would have been willing to wait for the Garbrandt vs. T.J. Dillashaw winner had Cruz not been available to fight, even if it meant something of a layoff from the Octagon.
“Who else am I gonna fight?” he asked. “It’s either Cruz or a title shot. I’m willing to wait (for) that. I love fighting, but teaching is my first passion. So if I have to wait, it doesn’t hurt my pocket at all.”
Throughout his campaigning to get the Cruz fight, Rivera said he didn’t think ‘The Dominator’ wanted to fight him. So he was surprised when Cruz finally did sign the dotted line.
“F-ck yeah. I am super shocked,” Rivera said. “I think the biggest thing was they must’ve gave him something good, or they told him that’s the only way. I don’t know. I heard that he wanted to take the fight, which I was super surprised (about). I’m just happy; I’m happy he took it so I can go in there and whoop some ass.”
Cruz has said he’d be willing to step in if either Garbrandt or Dillashaw get injured ahead of their UFC 217 title fight in November, but that’s something Rivera isn’t worried about. If anything, “El Terror” would want to step in instead of Cruz.
“Cruz is not on a five-fight winning streak, he doesn’t have 20 wins in a row right now,” he said. “I don’t know what could happen; anything could happen, that’s the craziest thing. What if they don’t pick Cruz, they pick me? What if T.J. gets hurt and can’t fight? Maybe I fight Garbrandt instead. What happens if Cody’s out, and he’s out for a longer period of time?”
Cruz is the biggest fight of Rivera’s career, but – with a 21-1 record as a professional – whatever Rivera is doing in training camps has obviously been working. He doesn’t plan on changing anything just because he’s fighting a former champ in Cruz.
“Just stick to what I’ve been doing: get ready for the fight like I always do, train my ass off. Hard work pays off, and that’s all that matters,” Rivera said. “I’m looking forward to the next fight. I’ll keep the same game plan, train my ass off, and go in there and try to get that W.”
Cruz has a bizarre style that includes terrific footwork and movement. Only Garbrandt has been able to figure him out in recent years. Rivera is confident in his current team to help him prepare for the awkward fighter he will be facing in three months.
“I have great training partners who can mimic anybody and great coaches. That’s all I need,” he said.
“Cruz was only the good wrestler. He never fought somebody that could box really well. Now you got someone who’s as good of a wrestler, and now it’s all about the standup — who has the better boxing and kickboxing. Garbrandt did compared to Cruz, and he opened up; he showed the world what Cruz wasn’t good at.”
Should he get past Cruz at UFC 219, Rivera expects to fight whoever walks away the bantamweight champion after Garbrandt vs. Dillashaw next.
“It’s definitely a No. 1 contender fight,” Rivera said. “There’s no doubt in my mind it’s a No. 1 contender fight.”
Rivera is picking Dillashaw to beat his former teammate, Garbrandt, and become a two-time 135-pound titleholder.
“It’s gonna be an interesting fight,” Rivera said. “I’m gonna go with T.J. just because he didn’t have all those injuries. He didn’t have a back injury or a serious injury; it’s hard to come back from that. So I’m gonna go with who’s the healthier of the two.”
So Dillashaw vs. Rivera for the bantamweight title in early 2018?
“Sounds good to me,” Rivera said.