Report: Cruz expected to fight Kenney at UFC 259

Dominick Cruz is expected to battle Casey Kenney in a bantamweight bout at UFC 259, sources told MMA Junkie's Mike Bohn.

The fight will be Cruz's first without a UFC title up for grabs in more than six years. The former bantamweight champion made his return to the Octagon in May after a four-year absence but lost to Henry Cejudo via second-round TKO.

Cruz was once one of the promotion's top fighters and held a 22-1 record before he lost his belt to Cody Garbrandt in 2016. The 35-year-old battled several injuries since, which forced his extended time on the sideline.

Meanwhile, Kenney is an unranked bantamweight coming off a three-fight winning streak in the UFC. He fought twice in October on Yas Island, United Arab Emirates, earning unanimous decision victories over Heili Alateng and Nathaniel Wood.

The UFC 259 card is scheduled for March 6 and will also feature Aleksandar Rakic versus Thiago Santos and Askar Askarov versus Joseph Benavidez.