UFC light heavyweight champion Daniel Cormer and bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz are heading from the "UFC Tonight" desk to the announce booth, as they will be working the next two UFC Fight Night cards.
Cruz will be working alongside Jon Anik in calling the 13-fight UFC Fight Night 95 on Saturday from Brasilia, Brazil.
“We’re on for seven hours. It’s like calling back-to-back Super Bowls,” Anik said to the Los Angeles Times. “It’s a job for the analyst coming in to pace themselves, to leave room in their register for 3:30 a.m. Brazil time, when the final fight is going to be happening and we need to make sure we’re at our peak. It’s 26 fighters, and you better know them all or the avid followers will let you know about it.”
Cruz isn't afraid to express his thoughts on any given manner, but when it comes to calling fights, he has to throw those opinions out the window and call what he sees.
“I’ve never heard Joe Rogan ever say that – which match-up has he ever said, ‘This is one that shouldn’t be happening?’” Cruz said to The Times. “I hear what you’re saying, but then you’ve got to really look at the position. My job is color commentary. I provide color and commentary to the people who might not understand what’s really going on. That means I have no opinion on anything. I’m to state facts about what is happening at the current time with the match-up. By me saying this match is not supposed to happen, I’m putting my opinion out there. And to be perfectly honest, that is probably going to be one of the hardest parts about your job that people don’t understand -- your opinions don’t matter, it’s about stating the facts. That’s what my job is. Should or should they not be fighting is an opinion.”
Cormier will also call the action alongside Anik for UFC Fight Night 96 on October 1 in Portland, Ore., which is headlined by top-five bantamweights as John Lineker battles John Dodson. The 205 pound champion feels the hard work he puts the behind the desk is paying off and led to this assignment.
"A clear idea of what the company and Fox think of what I bring to the sport," Cormier said to The Times. "It’s a big pat on the back. It really is an honor. This is one of those dreams I never even made.”
For their next fights, Cruz is expected to battle Cody Garbrandt and Cormier is expected to face Anthony Johnson. There's no word as to when those fights will take place.
