Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz is looking forward to the opportunity to remind fans of his greatness at UFC Seattle.
It's been almost three full years since former UFC titleholder Dominick Cruz competed inside the Octagon. After back-to-back wins over Casey Kenney and Pedro Munhoz, a shot at another bantamweight title fell short when he lost to Marlon Vera by head kick at UFC San Diego in 2022.
Now Cruz is gearing up for the fight of his life as he prepares to face ninth-ranked bantamweight prospect Rob Font at UFC Seattle next month. After years of rebuilding his body and recovering from the wear and tear of his injury-plagued career, Cruz will enter the cage fresh and ready to make a statement.
During his absence from fights, Cruz has become a prominent voice on UFC broadcasts and is considered one of the top analysts in combat sports. While he is set for a long, successful career in broadcasting, he still has the passion to compete, which led to his return to UFC Seattle.
Cruz's return is exciting for many fans, experts and fellow fighters around the world. But the question is: will this be the last hurray for arguably the greatest bantamweight of all time?
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
Dominick Cruz shares the implications of the match with Rob Font
During a recent episode of Good Guy/Bad Guy, Cruz revealed the significance of his return to the Octagon at UFC Seattle.
“I've wanted to fight for a while, but I need to get my body right,” Cruz said. “It's no secret that I've had a lot of injuries in my career, so I like to make sure I'm ready and don't just take something where I'm injured. I don't have to fight like that anymore…
“I come from the era where you didn't get paid much to fight, you just enjoyed it, and that's why I started. So I enjoy fighting, and I'm going to do another one.
Cruz could potentially change his mind when he plays triumphantly against Font next month. But for now, he seems content to call it a career, win or lose, for audiences in the Pacific Northwest.
One last dance for Dominick Cruz?
If Font is Cruz's final opponent of his storied career, Cruz will retire as one of the greatest fighters to ever step foot in the Octagon. During his multiple UFC bantamweight titles, Cruz defeated legends like Demetrious Johnson and Urijah Faber to cement his place as an all-time great.
At one point in his career, Cruz was nearly unbeatable, winning 22 of his first 23 professional fights. A 13-fight winning streak, including victories in WEC and UFC, came to an abrupt halt when he fell to Cody Garbrandt at UFC 207.
Cruz's pre-fight admission puts an even bigger spotlight on the UFC's return to the Emerald City. The co-main event will pay tribute to a UFC legend, win or lose, as he prepares for the next chapters of his life, which will likely include a UFC Hall of Fame induction.
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