Ĭruz went on to take decision victories against Ian McCall on January 25, 2009, at WEC 38 and April 5, 2009, Ivan Lopez at WEC 40. He would then make his debut for the WEC's 135 lb bantamweight division on June 7, 2008, at WEC 34 defeating Charlie Valencia by unanimous decision. Dominick Cruz after retaining his WEC Bantamweight Championship at the WEC 50 in August 2010 The fight would become the beginning of a longstanding cantankerous rivalry between the two. His first fight in the WEC was at featherweight at WEC 26 in a title fight against Urijah Faber in which he lost by guillotine choke in the first round. He amassed a record of 9–0 before joining World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC). Mixed martial arts career Early career Ĭruz began his professional mixed martial arts (MMA) career in 2005, competing in the Rage in the Cage and Total Combat organizations. Cruz worked as a customer service representative at Lowe's, and was studying to be a firefighter at community college before becoming a full time fighter. After an injury that came in his senior year, he lost the opportunity of receiving a scholarship to wrestle at the University of Northern Colorado. He started wrestling in seventh grade and competed all through high school out of Flowing Wells High School. He lived with his single mother, grandmother, and brother in a trailer park in Tucson for most of his childhood. Early life Ĭruz was born in San Diego, California, and is of Mexican descent. Numerous media outlets called this victory the greatest comeback story in MMA history. On January 17, 2016, he regained the bantamweight championship with a split-decision win over T.J. After defending the belt twice in 2011, Cruz was sidelined by injuries in 2012 and subsequently stripped of the title in 2014. He won the WEC bantamweight title in March 2010, and won the inaugural UFC Bantamweight Championship the following December. Ĭruz is noted for his unorthodox movement, powerful wrestling base, quick striking, and his tendency to attack from angles in a fashion unlike any other fighter on the UFC roster. As of May 9, 2023, he is #9 in the UFC bantamweight rankings. Cruz has also competed for World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC), and was the promotions final WEC Bantamweight Champion. He currently competes in the Bantamweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is a former two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion. Blue belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Lloyd Irvin ĭominick Cruz is an American professional mixed martial artist, sports analyst and commentator.
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