Dominick Cruz just can’t seem to stay healthy.
The former UFC bantamweight champion revealed on Monday during Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show that he tore two ligaments in his shoulder while sparring and will require surgery. The overall process — including recovery — will keep him out of action for a year.
Cruz, who called the injury “basically an ACL of the shoulder,” had been booked to face John Lineker at the now-canceled UFC 233 event on Jan. 26. Prior to that, “The Dominator” was scheduled to meet Jimmie Rivera at UFC 219 last December but had to withdraw due to a broken arm.
He also endured an extended absence from 2011 to 2014 due to multiple ACL surgeries. Cruz regained the bantamweight crown with a split decision win over T.J. Dillashaw in January 2016 and defended the belt against Urijah Faber at UFC 199. He relinquished the strap to Cody Garbrandt in a decision defeat at UFC 207, his third fight of 2016.
“It’s part of my journey, and it’s going to be a part of my legacy, these injuries,” Cruz said.
Cruz has not competed since that bout. But the 33-year-old Alliance MMA stalwart isn’t giving up on his career just yet.
“Exactly when you quit in sports is exactly when you quit in life,” he said.