One of the greatest
Ultimate Fighting Championship fighters in the history of the
sport is deciding to hang up his gloves.
Ex-UFC and World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight kingpin
Dominick
Cruz (24-4) was slated to return to the Octagon against
Rob
Font for his final MMA bout at UFC Fight Night 252 on Feb. 22.
“The Dominator” sustained a shoulder injury and withdrew from the
match on
Wednesday. Rather than recover and attempt to rebook the Font
matchup, Cruz elected to say farewell to the sport on Thursday. He
will still remain as a color commentator and analyst for the
UFC.
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Posting on Instagram,
Cruz wrote a farewell message detailing his recent setbacks and
thanking those involved in his career.
”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”
The all-time great bantamweight introduced himself to the MMA
masses on the major stage when he battled Urijah Faber
at WEC 26 in 2007. Although he succumbed to a guillotine choke from
“The California Kid” in under 100 seconds, this lit a fire under
Cruz that prompted him to win his next 13 outings including two
rematches with Faber. Along the way, Cruz snared the WEC throne
from Brian
Bowles at WEC 47 in 2010, and he went on to defend it twice
before the company merged into the UFC later that year.
As the inaugural UFC beltholder—a distinction he earned in the
WEC’s final event, beating Scott
Jorgensen to claim that new crown—Cruz defended that strap two
more times, a record broken in 2023 by Aljamain
Sterling. On that dazzling run, Cruz outfoxed opponents like
the aforementioned Faber, Demetrious
Johnson, T.J.
Dillashaw and Joseph
Benavidez. Although he surrendered the belt in 2016 to Cody
Garbrandt, Cruz remained at the top of the 135-pound category
thanks to victories over Casey
Kenney and Pedro
Munhoz. In his final professional outing, Cruz suffered a head
kick loss to Marlon Vera
in the main attraction of UFC on ESPN 41.