FULLERTON, Calif. – Former Cal State Fullerton wrestler T.J. Dillashaw, the reigning UFC bantamweight champion, is set to take on No. 1 contender Dominick Cruz Sunday, Jan. 17, to defend the UFC title during Fight Night in Boston, Mass. Local sports bar and restaurant, BIGS, will show UFC Fight Night in support of Dillashaw this Sunday at 7 p.m. (PT). BIGS is located at 323 N. State College Blvd., just several blocks from campus.

Dillashaw owns a 13-2 record and will go up against the 20-1 Cruz this weekend. The story behind the fight is an interesting one as Cruz, who was the first man to hold the UFC title in the weight class, was stripped of the bantamweight belt in January 2014 after several injuries prevented him from defending the title. With Cruz on the sidelines, Renan Barao rose to dominance in the weight class and claimed the title. 

In May 2014, Dillashaw took on Barao in the championship fight and although viewed as the underdog, came out on top. Dillashaw knocked Barao out at the 2:26 mark in the fifth and final round to earn his first bantamweight world championship and become the reigning champion.

With Cruz healthy again, it is up to Dillashaw to defend the title he rightfully earned last May. 

“I’m excited to face another opponent, one that I looked up to when I first got into the sport,” Dillashaw said. “It’s exciting to put my talent on the line against him.”

Dillashaw wrestled for the Titans from 2006-09, just two years before the dissolution of the program at Cal State Fullerton. During his time at Fullerton, Dillashaw reached modest success as he ranked as high as 10th in the nation in his weight class as a senior. 

The Angels Camp, Calif., native was a three-time NCAA qualifier with the Titans and graduated from Cal State Fullerton with a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology.

UFC Fight Night airs live on Fox Sports 1 on Sunday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. (PT).