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Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz looks to have been handed his next assignment as he plots a course back to 135-pound title candidacy.

According to a report from MMA Fighting Cruz and Munhoz look set to meet at UFC 269 on December 11 next but while verbal agreements are understood to be in place, contracts to finalise the bout have not yet been signed — but this is expected to be completed in the coming days.

Munhoz, who owns a knockout win against Cruz rival Cody Garbrandt, hasn’t fought since an August defeat to Jose Aldo and comes after the Brazilian fighter had teased a move to the flyweight division.

Cruz, meanwhile, is one of the most storied bantamweight fighters in history and enters the fight on the back of a split decision win against Casey Kenney last March — a fight which came around a year after his unsuccessful bid to recapture the UFC bantamweight championship from Henry Cejudo, in a fight which came roughly four years after a defeat to Garbrandt in December 2016.

The addition of Cruz vs. Munhoz adds to an already talent-filled UFC 269 card for the event expected to take place in Las Vegas, joining world title fights between Amanda Nunes and Juliana Pena as well as the flyweight title trilogy fight between Brandon Moreno and Deiveson Figueiredo.