UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz hasn’t fought since October 1, 2011 due to suffering back-to-back ACL injuries and it seems the higher ups of the UFC are starting to get antsy about his return.

On a conference call for UFC 165 on Tuesday, UFC President Dana White said Cruz is feeling good and expects to be back inside the Octagon early next year.

However, if that isn’t the case, White implied it may finally be time to strip Cruz of the 135-pound championship.

“[Cruz] came in here a few weeks ago and had lunch with me and Lorenzo (Fertitta). He was very confident that he would be ready to go at the beginning of the year. If he can't return at the beginning of the year, then we're going to have to make a decision."

Cruz still boasts a 10-fight win streak, which included a decision win over Urijah Faber at UFC 132 in July 2011, avenging the only loss of his career.

Don’t think the division’s been completely on hold since Cruz’s absence: Brazilian superstar Renan Barao won the vacant interim bantamweight title against Faber at UFC 149 last July.

The 26-year-old, who hasn’t lost since his professional debut in April 2005, then successfully defended the strap against Michael McDonald at UFC on FUEL 7 in February.

Barao defends his title against Eddie Wineland, a former WEC bantamweight titleholder, at UFC 165, set for September 21 in Toronto, Canada.

While Barao said he still respects Cruz, he no longer considers on the top of the division.

"No disrespect to him, but from the moment I won this belt, and I have defended it once, I considered myself the champion,” Barao said on the call through a translator.

Will Cruz, who just turned 28-years-old last week, be able to return to top form after two years on the shelf?