The road to the UFC bantamweight title still runs through Urijah Faber. Just in case we forgot, we were reminded of that fact in emphatic fashion on Saturday night as Faber battered and tattered 22-year-old upstart Michael McDonald en route to a second-round submission victory at UFC on Fox 9. The win was important for […]
The road to the UFC bantamweight title still runs through Urijah Faber. Just in case we forgot, we were reminded of that fact in emphatic fashion on Saturday night as Faber battered and tattered 22-year-old upstart Michael McDonald en route to a second-round submission victory at UFC on Fox 9. The win was important for […]
Sergio Pettis defeated Will Campuzano at UFC 167 by unanimous decision, and the performance helped put where he stands in the bantamweight division into perspective. Pettis entered with a perfect 9-0 record and a lot of hype. Had he gone out and blown through Campuzano, there might have been talk of title contention, but that is not where Pettis is at right now. […]
Sergio Pettis defeated Will Campuzano at UFC 167 by unanimous decision, and the performance helped put where he stands in the bantamweight division into perspective. Pettis entered with a perfect 9-0 record and a lot of hype. Had he gone out and blown through Campuzano, there might have been talk of title contention, but that is not where Pettis is at right now. […]
Overall experience may not be something that George Roop has in bulk, but the “right” type of experience is something the Tuscon native believes he has in large supply. Since his stint on the eighth installment of The Ultimate Fighter back in 2008, the 31-year-old has experienced mixed results while competing at the highest level of […]
Overall experience may not be something that George Roop has in bulk, but the “right” type of experience is something the Tuscon native believes he has in large supply. Since his stint on the eighth installment of The Ultimate Fighter back in 2008, the 31-year-old has experienced mixed results while competing at the highest level of […]
Ah the little guys. The sub-135-pound scrappy dudes. They’ve come a long way since they gotten into the UFC. But in those three years, they’ve become a mainstay of the promotion and have had two champions— Dominick Cruz and Renan Barao. At the same time, they’ve thrown up some classic matches—such as future flyweight champ […]
Ah the little guys. The sub-135-pound scrappy dudes. They’ve come a long way since they gotten into the UFC. But in those three years, they’ve become a mainstay of the promotion and have had two champions— Dominick Cruz and Renan Barao. At the same time, they’ve thrown up some classic matches—such as future flyweight champ […]
(…and until then, we’ll just have to settle for awkward fist-pose photos. / Props: @RenanBaraoUFC)
UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz was a dominant one before he became an absent one. It has been nearly two years since Cruz has fought, thanks to two consecutive ACL tears in his knee, but the injured champ hopes to return early next year.
“I’m looking to be back the beginning of next year is what it’s looking like from what the doctors have told me, so that’s my goal. Unfortunately, the doctor hasn’t even released me, so I couldn’t even make a date if I wanted to,” Cruz recently told MMA Junkie.
“It’s like when you got knocked out and you get put on suspension. It’s the same type of deal with this injury. There’s a set time and stipulation with a knee injury that I’ve gone through, especially doubled. So I’m just listening to the doctor so I stay back and don’t just come back.”
So, the up-side is that Cruz, who probably knows his own body better than anyone, is optimistic at this point. The bad news is that when he returns isn’t completely up to him.
When he does return, however, Cruz says it will be in a title fight. He scoffed at the notion that he’d vacate his title and take a “warm-up” fight first. If someone wants his title, they’ll have to take it from him in the Octagon.
“First of all, it’s silly to think that a champion would ever willingly give away the belt that he’s worked for,” Cruz explained.
(…and until then, we’ll just have to settle for awkward fist-pose photos. / Props: @RenanBaraoUFC)
UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz was a dominant one before he became an absent one. It has been nearly two years since Cruz has fought, thanks to two consecutive ACL tears in his knee, but the injured champ hopes to return early next year.
“I’m looking to be back the beginning of next year is what it’s looking like from what the doctors have told me, so that’s my goal. Unfortunately, the doctor hasn’t even released me, so I couldn’t even make a date if I wanted to,” Cruz recently told MMA Junkie.
“It’s like when you got knocked out and you get put on suspension. It’s the same type of deal with this injury. There’s a set time and stipulation with a knee injury that I’ve gone through, especially doubled. So I’m just listening to the doctor so I stay back and don’t just come back.”
So, the up-side is that Cruz, who probably knows his own body better than anyone, is optimistic at this point. The bad news is that when he returns isn’t completely up to him.
When he does return, however, Cruz says it will be in a title fight. He scoffed at the notion that he’d vacate his title and take a “warm-up” fight first. If someone wants his title, they’ll have to take it from him in the Octagon.
“First of all, it’s silly to think that a champion would ever willingly give away the belt that he’s worked for,” Cruz explained.
“I’ve defended it four times — not once, not twice, not three times. Four times if you count the WEC. Not just that, but boxing is the only sport where you can get an easy fight before you fight for the title. That’s the difference between boxing and mixed martial arts, and that’s why mixed martial arts is the fastest growing sport in the world and not boxing.”
Cruz’ champion spirit certainly has not waned at all, it seems. Eddie Wineland will challenge interim champ Renan Barao next at UFC 165. If Cruz can fight in early 2014, chances are he’ll face the winner. Do you think Cruz will be ready to take on the likes of Barao or Wineland in his first fight in over two years, Nation?
(Cruz, seen here showing off the results of his latest trip to Chuck E. Cheese’s. Those ball pits can be VICIOUS.)
For the past two years, the UFC’s bantamweight division has been an absolute ghost town, plagued by injury to the point that even its replacement champion hasn’t been able to come out unscathed. I can’t remember the last time I typed Dominick Cruz’s name into the CagePotato CMS, to be honest — as I do it now, a message asks me if I meant “Domino’s Crust” and that doesn’t even make any goddamn sense.
While there’s not much than anyone can do to speed up Cruz’s recovery time — the man is coming off double knee surgery (including a botched cadaver-ACL transplant), for Christ’s sake — there comes a time when a champion’s inability to defend his own belt should come at a cost. Paul Taylor was recently released by the UFC simply because he has been plagued by injury and incredibly bad luck since 2011. Not that he and Cruz are exactly comparable in terms of their standings in the promotion, but at what point should the UFC step in and force Cruz to hand over his baseball to the kids who can actually play with it? It’s a question that the champ himself cannot answer, but if you think he is even worried about it, think again:
I can’t worry about the belt. It’s really not my position to decide whether I keep it because I’ve been injured or whether Dana takes it or whether Barao has it. The belt is there. The bottom line is me getting healthy so I can go out there and do what I do best which is prove why I am where I am today.
(Cruz, seen here showing off the results of his latest trip to Chuck E. Cheese’s. Those ball pits can be VICIOUS.)
For the past two years, the UFC’s bantamweight division has been an absolute ghost town, plagued by injury to the point that even its replacement champion hasn’t been able to come out unscathed. I can’t remember the last time I typed Dominick Cruz’s name into the CagePotato CMS, to be honest — as I do it now, a message asks me if I meant “Domino’s Crust” and that doesn’t even make any goddamn sense.
While there’s not much than anyone can do to speed up Cruz’s recovery time — the man is coming off double knee surgery (including a botched cadaver-ACL transplant), for Christ’s sake — there comes a time when a champion’s inability to defend his own belt should come at a cost. Paul Taylor was recently released by the UFC simply because he has been plagued by injury and incredibly bad luck since 2011. Not that he and Cruz are exactly comparable in terms of their standings in the promotion, but at what point should the UFC step in and force Cruz to hand over his baseball to the kids who can actually play with it? It’s a question that the champ himself cannot answer, but if you think he is even worried about it, think again:
I can’t worry about the belt. It’s really not my position to decide whether I keep it because I’ve been injured or whether Dana takes it or whether Barao has it. The belt is there. The bottom line is me getting healthy so I can go out there and do what I do best which is prove why I am where I am today. I’m not here by accident. I work hard to be there I’m at and I’m working hard in therapy to make sure I return to form as soon as possible. That’s the goal. It’s been a very tedious, tough process…. Nobody wants to wait including me. I don’t want to have to wait but I don’t really have a choice at this point other than to take my time and come back strong.
We’d never want a fighter put the needs of his job over those of his own personal health, but at the same time, if Cruz isn’t going to be back in fighting form for the rest of the year (his last surgery was in December 2012, with a 6-to-9 month recovery time), shouldn’t the UFC feel obligated to some degree to strip his title? The bantamweight division might not be the most stacked one in the world right now, but there are still a few matchups to be had that could make for excellent title fights. To essentially deny that opportunity to the rest of the division (and the payday that comes with it) for a champion who has been M.I.A. since 2011 seems a little absurd, does it not?
