Dominick Cruz – Syndication Server

Former UFC champ Dominick Cruz eyes ‘last dance’ before calling it a career

Dominick Cruz has one more fight left in him.

[autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag] has one more fight left in him.

The former bantamweight champion hasn’t competed since a knockout loss to Marlon Vera in the UFC on ESPN 41 main event in August 2022. Prior to that, Cruz (24-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) scored back-to-back wins over Casey Kenney and Pedro Munhoz.

Cruz has spent his time away from competition in the commentary booth and analyst desk, but the 39-year-old hopes to compete at least one more time before retiring.

“I’ll tell you, I think I’ve got a last dance,” Cruz told TMZ. “I want one last dance in me. Just go out there and go have fun. And when I say fun, I mean fight to the bitter death and see what I have in me.”

Cruz is currently training in Mexico City’s high altitude at the UFC Performance Institute. He’s hoping to return in the first quarter of next year.

“I wanted to get after it this year,” Cruz said. “But it’s not looking like a matchup is getting negotiated exactly right the way it is. There’s some guys out there who looked really good. The whole division is stacked, so it’s been incredible to be a part of that division. But probably early next year is what’s going to work and line up.”

Cruz was recently removed from the UFC’s top 15 bantamweight rankings after Aiemann Zahabi debuted in the standings with a win over Pedro Munhoz at UFC Fight Night 246 earlier this month.

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UFC Fight Night 245: How to watch Anthony Hernandez vs. Michel Pereira, start time, Las Vegas fight card, odds, more

Here’s what you need to know to watch UFC Fight Night 245 on ESPN+.

The UFC stays put for another home show this week with a pair of middleweight standouts at the top of a card that features nine bouts at featherweight or lighter.

Here’s how to watch UFC Fight Night 245 with 185-pounders in the headlining spot, plus bantamweights in the co-feature.

Broadcast and streaming info

UFC Fight Night 245 has a main card that starts at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN+. The preliminary card streams on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET.

Veteran broadcaster [autotag]Karyn Bryant[/autotag] serves as desk anchor and host at UFC Fight Night 245.

“The Ultimate Fighter 15′ winner [autotag]Michael Chiesa[/autotag] and retired welterweight veteran [autotag]Alan Jouban[/autotag] join her as analysts at the desk.

[autotag]Brendan Fitzgerald[/autotag] will serve as the leading man on the mic from cageside at UFC Fight Night 245.

He’ll command play-by-play and be joined in the booth by lightweight veteran [autotag]Paul Felder[/autotag], as well as former UFC/WEC bantamweight champion [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag].

(Mike Bohn, MMA Junkie)

Main event: Anthony Hernandez

Record: 12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC
Opponent: Michel Pereira (31-11 MMA, 9-2 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Key wins: Roman Kopylov, Edmen Shahbazyan, Marc-Andre Barriault, JunYong Park, Brendan Allen
Misc.: “Fluffy” has a five-fight winning streak, four of which have been by stoppage – and two of which have gotten him post-fight bonuses.

Main event: Michel Pereira

Record: 31-11 MMA, 9-2 UFC
Opponent: Anthony Hernandez (12-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC)
Division: Middleweight
Key wins: Ihor Potieria, Michał Oleksiejczuk, Andre Petroski, Santiago Ponzinibbio, Andre Fialho
Misc.: Brazilian has an eight-fight winning streak and hasn’t lost since before the pandemic, when he landed an illegal knee on Diego Sanchez.

Co-main event: Rob Font

Record: 20-8 MMA, 10-7 UFC
Opponent: Kyler Phillips (12-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Key wins: Adrian Yanez, Cody Garbrandt, Marlon Moraes, Ricky Simon, Sergio Pettis
Misc.: Font will be looking to snap the second two-fight skid of his career. He’s dropped fur of his past five, but those losses have been decisions to the division’s elite: Jose Aldo, Marlon Vera, Cory Sandhagen and Deiveson Figueiredo.

Co-main event: Kyler Phillips

Record: 12-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC
Opponent: Rob Font (20-8 MMA, 10-7 UFC)
Division: Bantamweight
Key wins: Pedro Munhoz, Raoni Barcelos, Song Yadong
Misc.: “The Matrix” has three straight wins since the lone setback of his UFC career.

UFC Fight Night 245 main card betting odds

MAIN CARD (ESPN+, 7 p.m. ET)

Anthony Hernandez (-150) vs. Michel Pereira (+125)
Rob Font (+300) vs. Kyler Phillips (-400)
Charles Johnson (-235) vs. Su Mudaerji (+190)
Jake Hadley (+125) vs. Brady Hiestand (-150)
Darren Elkins (+105) vs. Daniel Pineda (-125)

UFC Fight Night 245 prelim betting odds

PRELIMINARY CARD (ESPN+, 4 p.m. ET)

Asu Almabayev (-170) vs. Matheus Nicolau (+140)
Brad Katona (+220) vs. Jean Matsumoto (-270)
Joselyne Edwards (-235) vs. Tamires Vidal (+190)
Jessica Penne (+130) vs. Elise Reed (-155)
Alice Ardelean (+125) vs. Melissa Martinez (-150)
Robelis Despaigne (-450) vs. Austen Lane (+325)

UFC Fight Night 245 preview videos

Pedro Munhoz: Dominick Cruz being in UFC’s bantamweight rankings is ‘bullish*t’

Pedro Munhoz thinks Dominick Cruz has no business being in the UFC’s bantamweight rankings.

[autotag]Pedro Munhoz[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag] has no business being in the UFC’s bantamweight rankings.

Cruz (24-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) hasn’t competed since a knockout loss to Marlon Vera in August 2022. Prior to that, he defeated Munhoz by unanimous decision at UFC 269 in December 2021.

Munhoz (20-9-2 MMA, 10-9-1 UFC) has fought four times since losing to Cruz, and thinks the former bantamweight champion’s inactivity should result in him being removed from the rankings. Cruz is not currently booked for a fight.

“Yeah, that’s a little bit bullsh*t, the ranking situation,” Munhoz told Middle Easy. “Right after my fight against Kyler Phillips, I think I was No. 12. Then I fought him, they moved me to (No.) 13, 14, 15, and then eventually out of the rankings, but I’ve kept active all this time. Good for (Cruz), but that kind of stuff just shows me that it’s a bunch of bullsh*t. I don’t know who runs that, but it’s just bullsh*t. (Rob) Font has the same amount of defeats that I have. I beat him a few years ago, and he’s (No. 10).

“I think he has the same amount of losses that I have in the UFC. We fought basically almost the same guys, and when we fought, I beat him. I’ve thought about those things before. Like, why are these guys in the rankings? Why are these guys not so active and still in the rankings? This guy here I beat, he’s in the rankings and I’m not, but there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m very glad that the UFC wanted to keep me, wanted to keep re-signing me and give me fights. It’s something that I like to do, I love to do.”

Munhoz will look to snap a two-fight losing skid when he faces Aiemann Zahabi Nov. 2 at UFC Fight Night 246 from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

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Jonathan Martinez admits he was starstruck in loss to Jose Aldo, calls for Dominick Cruz at Noche UFC

Jonathan Martinez admits he got starstruck in his loss to Jose Aldo, but it wouldn’t happen vs. Dominick Cruz because he was “never a fan.”

[autotag]Jonathan Martinez[/autotag] thought fighting Jose Aldo would be the same as any other opponent. Then the pair got into the octagon at UFC 301, and everything was different.

Martinez (19-5 MMA, 10-4 UFC) was tasked with welcoming UFC Hall of Famer Aldo (32-8 MMA, 14-7 UFC) back from retirement in the co-headliner of the May event in Rio de Janeiro. It didn’t go his way, because “Scarface” turned in a vintage performance to win a unanimous decision.

The result snapped Martinez’s six-fight winning streak, and compared to some of his other recent showings, it seemed he just couldn’t get his offensive going in an effective manner. According to Martinez, much of that had to with being in awe of the legend he was sharing the octagon with.

“It was real tough,” Martinez told MMA Junkie during a recent interview at UFC X. “I trained hard for that fight. The thing was I let the name and the face in front of me, when I went out there in the cage I seen, ‘I’m fighting Jose Aldo.’ That’s when I started to go, ‘Wow.’ Everyone who saw me fight knows that wasn’t me in there. That’s not the way I go in there. I was pretty much just walking, not doing what I was supposed to do and that cost me in the fight.”

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Martinez, 30, knows he fumbled a big opportunity to enhance his resume against Aldo, however, he’s not deterred. He wants to right the ship against another legend of the sport, and has his eyes on a showdown with former UFC and WEC titleholder [autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag], ideally at Noche UFC, which goes down Sept. 14 at Sphere in Las Vegas.

Part of the motivation for the callout, Martinez said, is his recollection of things Cruz (24-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) has said while commentating his fights over the years.

“I want to be on that (Sphere) card in September,” Martinez said. “I want to be on that card, and I’ve been hearing Dominick Cruz wants to fight on that date, too. Hopefully they give me him. I just hear him every time I fight he’s always saying, ‘I don’t know why they don’t check Jonathan’s kicks.’ Put him in front of me and let him do that and see what happens.”

Martinez said his request to fight Cruz isn’t to right any sort of wrong from the Aldo fight. He doesn’t view “The Dominator” in the same glamorous light as he did Aldo, so for him, it would be a different mindset when he steps in the cage.

“I was never a fan,” Martinez said. “He was just there to me.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Noche UFC.

Dominick Cruz calls for Henry Cejudo rematch at Sphere: ‘He could get a better version of me’

Dominick Cruz wants to run things back with Henry Cejudo at UFC 306.

[autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag] wants to run things back with [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] at UFC 306.

Cruz challenged Cejudo for the bantamweight title in May 2020, but lost by second-round TKO. He rebounded with back-to-back wins over Casey Kenney and Pedro Munhoz, before he suffered a knockout to Marlon Vera in August 2022.

The former bantamweight champion was linked to a fight with Jose Aldo May at UFC 301 in Rio de Janeiro, but it fell through. Now, Cruz (24-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) sets his sights on a rematch with Cejudo (16-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) for Sept. 16 at Sphere in Las Vegas.

“There’s a Mexico Independence Day card coming up, and I lost a fight,” Cruz said on the Overdogs Podcast. “I look back at my loss and I lost it fair and square to Henry Cejudo, but I do believe he could get a better version of me and really face a better version of me.

“I’ve had rematches against (Joseph) Benavidez. I’ve had rematches against Urijah Faber. I’ve had rematches against that whole Team Alpha Male where I had to take each guy out, step by step, in order to keep my title. So, I would love a rematch with Henry Cejudo on Mexican Independence Day in the Sphere. I think we could make a pretty awesome fight there.”

Meanwhile, Cejudo retired after he finished Cruz to retain his 135-pound title at UFC 249. He returned three years later to challenge Aljamain Sterling for the bantamweight title at UFC 288 but was edged out in a split decision loss. He then lost a unanimous decision to No. 1 contender Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 298. “Triple C” recently called out Rob Font, but is yet to be booked for a fight.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 306.

Dominick Cruz addresses Jose Aldo fight not coming together for UFC 301

Dominick Cruz can’t make sense of Jose Aldo preferring to fight Jonathan Martinez over him at UFC 301.

[autotag]Dominick Cruz[/autotag] can’t make sense of [autotag]Jose Aldo[/autotag] preferring to fight Jonathan Martinez over him at UFC 301.

Aldo said the UFC’s original plan was to have him return against Cruz, but Cruz couldn’t fight due to issues with his camp. He later said during media day that he asked for a top five opponent, and that unlike Cruz, Martinez is on a winning streak.

Aldo (32-8 MMA, 14-7 UFC) turned back the clock with an impressive showing against Martinez when he won by unanimous decision however, Cruz (24-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) is confused by “The King of Rio’s” motives.

“Since you brought up Aldo, I’ll start with I saw his words were that they offered him to fight me but he wanted somebody in the top five, or, ‘He’s not in the top five,'” Cruz said on the “Anik & Florian Podcast.” “Is Jonathan Martinez in the top five? OK, so there’s that. And then, why would you want to be in the top five unless you’re going to fight for the title? Is he planning on renegotiating his contract for another six fights and going for the title?

“Or do you want to make sure you secure a win to become a free agent off a win instead of a loss when you’ve got to face the likes of me, which is a nightmare? I’m not saying Jonathan Martinez isn’t a nightmare, but the way that I saw it is, he showed up on the first weigh-in and then he showed up the second weigh-in apologizing for showing up to the first weigh-in and that right there showed me that the man was learning who he was against Jose Aldo before he even got in there.”

Aldo’s UFC future remains unclear, but the former featherweight champion said he plans on sitting down with UFC brass to discuss what’s next. Cruz doubts Aldo re-signs.

“He’s not going to renegotiate,” Cruz said. “Why would he sign for another six fights in the UFC? He’s not going to do that. He’s going to go be a free agent.”

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UFC on ESPN 55: How to watch Matheus Nicolau vs. Alex Perez, start time, Las Vegas fight card, odds, more

Here’s what you need to know to watch UFC on ESPN 55, featuring Matheus Nicolau vs. Alex Perez, on ESPN and ESPN+.

After a week off, the UFC is back on its home turf with a pair of flyweights at the top of the bill.

Here’s how to watch UFC on ESPN 55 with 125-pounders in the headlining spot, plus light heavyweights in the co-feature.

UFC Fight Night 237 commentary team, broadcast plans set for return to Mexico City

The commentary team of Brendan Fitzgerald, Dominick Cruz and Paul Felder will call the action at UFC Fight Night 237 in Mexico City.

The UFC continues its February schedule Saturday with UFC Fight Night 237, which goes down at Mexico City Arena in Mexico.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will work as commentators and analysts for each event have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the situation, and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.

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UFC Fight Night 236 commentary team set: Trio with former champs makes 2024 debut

The commentary team of Brendan Fitzgerald, Dominick Cruz and Daniel Cormier will make its 2024 debut at UFC Fight Night 236 on Saturday.

The UFC continues its February schedule Saturday with UFC Fight Night 236, which goes down at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there in “Sin City” to help guide viewers through the experience.

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UFC 297 commentary team, broadcast plans set: Dominick Cruz returns to PPV in place of Joe Rogan

Joe Rogan will not be part of UFC 297, with Dominick Cruz replacing him alongside Daniel Cormier and Jon Anik at in Toronto.

The first numbered UFC event of 2024 is rapidly approaching with UFC 297 on Saturday at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto.

As always, some marquee on-air talent will be there to help guide viewers through the experience.

Details of who will be working as commentators and analysts for the show have been acquired by MMA Junkie through a person with knowledge of the plans – and you can see the scheduled broadcast team below.

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