Thanks for the memories, “Dominator.”
After a 20-year fight career with numerous setbacks, former two-time Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has retired from mixed martial arts (MMA).
Cruz announced the end of his legendary career on his social media today (Thurs. Feb. 6, 2025)
To the fans worldwide,
I have poured every ounce of myself into this sport for the last 25 years. I was really hopeful for one final fight but unfortunately, two shoulder dislocations in 8 months calls an end to this guy’s career.
I gave everything I had and put it into preparation and training for this fight —focusing on my cardio and my body for the past year. But sometimes, the body just doesn’t cooperate.
The pain isn’t as bad now that my shoulder is back in place, but the second dislocation was far more complicated than the first.
This sport has been everything to me—it’s helped to shape who I am.
Thank you to the @ufc for building this platform and paving the way for fighters like myself and so many others. The UFC broke barriers to set the stage not just for us as fighters. Also for every mma sports organization that followed them across the bridge created throughout politics in order to allow our sport to take place LEGALLY in the United States and now the world.
I am incredibly grateful to everyone who booked tickets, hotels, and flights to support me. Thank you all for being there through every moment, every victory, and every challenge. You’ve made this journey unforgettable. Thank you for the love and support. I will carry it with me always.
With love, Dominick.
Cruz’s retirement comes a day after the news that his retirement fight with Rob Font was canceled because he sustained his final injury during training.
Cruz (24-4) started his MMA career in 2005, fighting for Rage in the Cage in Arizona. After going 9-0, he signed with World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) and immediately fought for the WEC Featherweight championship.
Cruz lost his WEC debut, getting submitted by his future long-time rival Urijah Faber, but he dropped down to Bantamweight and eventually claimed the WEC Bantamweight title.
At WEC 53, after defending the WEC Bantamweight title, he would fight Scott Jorgensen for the inaugural UFC Bantamweight Championship and win by unanimous decision.
“The Dominator” would defend the belt twice, which included a rematch with Faber (he won), but then a groin injury caused him to vacate the title in 2014
Two years later (five years since he last fought in a title fight), Cruz would reclaim the UFC Bantamweight title, defeating T.J. Dillashaw via a split decision. He would do a trilogy fight with Faber, defeating him for the second time.
Cruz would lose his championship to Cody Garbrandt at UFC 207 via unanimous decision as Garbrandt would have one of the best title fight performances of all time.
After losing the belt for the second time, the former champion would go on to have a 2-3 record in his last five fights in the promotion, getting knocked out for the first time by Henry Ceujdo at UFC 249 and then a couple of years later by Marlon Vera in what turned out to be his final UFC fight (watch highlights).
Cruz’s legacy as the first Bantamweight champion and his unique fight style is cemented, and he will be a surefire UFC Hall of Famer.
Thanks for the memories, Dom.