UFC confirms Renan Barao vs. Michael McDonald title bout

• A second ACL surgery will sideline champ Dominick Cruz well into 2013, if not longer
• Dana White didn't have an exact date or location for the fight, though early in 2013 seems likely
• At just 21 years old, McDonald appears to be one of the division's brightest prospects

With both fighters already on board for the fight, UFC President Dana White has confirmed UFC interim bantamweight champion Renan Barao will meet Michael McDonald in early 2013.

USA TODAY Sports first broke news of a second ACL surgery that will sideline champ Dominick Cruz well into 2013, if not longer.

Barao (29-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) and McDonald (19-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) then told USA TODAY Sports they'd be open to a fight for the interim title, which is an idea White said he approved on Tuesday's edition of UFC Tonight.

White didn't have an exact date or location for the fight, though it's likely to come in early 2013.

Cruz (19-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) also joined the show to discuss his disappointment with the injury setback. The final WEC champion, who was moved to the UFC in 2011, hasn't fought since October of that year. His surgeries have put him on the sidelines, though the latest setback was especially frustrating for the fighter.

"I've seen these tweets, and it's been nonstop since the news broke," he said. "I would say 95 percent of the tweets are very positive and very uplifting and have my back."

Barao, who won the interim title fight with a victory over Urijah Faber at UFC 149, previously told USA TODAY Sports he was already prepared to move on without Cruz.

"I was OK with the news because a lot of people were already speculating that I wasn't going to face Cruz," Barao, who's won 29 straight fights, said through a translator. "I wasn't that focused on him. I'll be prepared for whoever they put against me.

"... I already had it in my mind that I could fight McDonald. He's coming off of good wins and good knockouts. It makes sense."

McDonald fought most recently at April's UFC 145 event, where he scored an impressive first-round knockout of former WEC champ Miguel Torres. The once-beaten McDonald is 5-0 under the Zuffa banner and at just 21 years old appears to be one of the division's brightest prospects.

McDonald's layoff was also due to injury after he underwent surgery to repair ligaments in his hand. However, he recently told MMAjunkie.com that he's resumed full training and would like to fight in early 2013. It'll now come against Barao.