In the main event, TJ Dillashaw defends the bantamweight title against former champion Dominick Cruz. Cruz was stripped of the title in January 2014 after a series of leg injuries idled him for more than two years.
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TJ Dillashaw (Getty Images)
Dillashaw has been the champion since his UFC 173 win over Renan Barao. Since then, the Elevation Fight Team fighter made two title defenses, beating Joe Soto and Barao in the rematch. This is the best fight at 135 pounds and if it goes down like fight fans expect, we will get a classic.
Dominick Cruz (Getty Images)
The co-main event features former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis against former Bellator lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez.
Also: No. 6 heavyweight Travis Browne battles No. 14 Matt Mitrione; and Ross Pearson fights Francisco Trinaldo in a lightweight bout.
Coverage begins on UFC Fight Pass at 6 p.m. ET and switches to Fox Sports 1 at 8 p.m. ET. The main card begins on Fox Sports 1 at 10 p.m. ET.
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Here are the five biggest reasons to watch UFC Fight Night 81.
- The main event. We are finally here. Dillashaw and Cruz were to battle last April at UFC 186 but Cruz tore his a knee ligament and the fight was scrapped.
These men are evenly matched. Both have great footwork and wrestling skill. Dillashaw seems to have the advantage in striking. If Dillashaw can get his hands on Cruz it will be a long night for “The Dominator.”
If Cruz can use his Floyd Mayweather-like footwork and be Dominick Cruz, he will walk out of Boston with the title.
- What can we expect from Cruz? When Cruz was stripped of the title, it seemed we wouldn’t see him again. He was excelling in his commentary with Fox Sports. If he didn’t fight again, he would be OK.
But Cruz has a fighter’s heart. After numerous injuries and but one fight in the past four years, Cruz wants to reclaim the title he never lost inside the Octagon.
Will he be the same? He’s only 30, but because of numerous leg injuries one can only guess how good Cruz will be.
- Urijah Faber. The former WEC featherweight champion is the cloud hanging over the main event.
Cruz and Faber were rivals for years and split two fights. They make their hatred evident in every interview they give.
Dillashaw used to be training partners at Faber’s Team Alpha Male gym in California. He left the gym in October for Elevation Fight Team in Colorado. Faber wasn’t happy with the departure and banned Dillashaw from the gym.
Dillashaw kept quiet until now, telling Sporting News that Faber was being childish and is angling for a title fight. It makes sense for “The California Kid” to get the next title bout against the winner of this fight.
- Battle of former champions. This is a dream matchup that had fans pumped when Alvarez was the kingpin of Bellator and Pettis was the final lightweight champ of the WEC.
Pettis is coming off losing his title to Rafael dos Anjos at UFC 185. Alvarez got his first UFC win over Gilbert Melendez at UFC 188. Victory would put either fighter in line for a shot against the winner of UFC 197’s dos Anjos vs. Conor McGregor fight.
- How focused is Browne? It has been a turbulent time for the Glendale Fight Team fighter since his loss to Andrei Arlovski at UFC 187.
Domestic abuse allegations involving Browne and his former wife resulted in the slugging heavyweight to be suspended by the UFC. There also was his much publicized relationship with Ronda Rousey.
Browne raised a lot of eyebrows when he was in Australia with Rousey for her fight against Holly Holm which was two months out from the Mitrione fight. That close to the fight, fighters are at their gym training and preparing for battle.
Browne hasn’t discussed the latter issue. It does seem Browne’s focus is on other things.
Steven Muehlhausen is an MMA and boxing writer and contributor for Sporting News. You can find his podcast, The Fight Club Chicago, and subscribe on iTunes, Soundcloud, Stitcher and You Tube. You can email him at [email protected] and can find him on Twitter @SMuehlhausenMMA.
