Henry Cejudo: Unlike Khabib Nurmagomedov, Dominick Cruz failed to adjust to injury-riddled UFC career
Cruz (24-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) opted to hang up his gloves after a recurring shoulder injury forced him out of Saturday's UFC Fight Night 252 co-headliner (ESPN+) vs. Rob Font at Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. Cejudo (16-4 MMA, 10-4 UFC) headlines the card against Song Yadong (21-8-1 MMA, 10-3-1 UFC).
Former two-time UFC bantamweight champion Cruz has dealt with numerous injuries throughout his career, which have forced him on the sidelines for years. Cejudo compares Cruz's career to ex-lightweight champ Khabib Nurmagomedov, but says the difference is 'The Eagle' was able to overcome his early struggles.
'That's his decision,' Cejudo told reporters at Wednesday's media day. 'He may go back and be like, 'Hey, you know what, maybe I want my last dance to be done correctly.' I don't think he really made those adjustments as a fighter to really understand his body more.
'I'm going to give you guys an example: Khabib did a really good job of going through injuries and then adapted and adjusted, and how is it that he can get better? A lot of fighters have gone through that, but I don't think Dominick ever really found it – whether it was rest, nutrition, overtraining, undertraining, whatever that may be.'
Cejudo defended his bantamweight title against Cruz at UFC 249 in May 2020. He won the fight by Round 2 TKO, and admits the pair never properly buried the hatchet. That didn't stop him from praising Cruz for helping build the lighter weight divisions.
'He brought a lot of attention to the lower weight classes,' Cejudo said. 'His fight with Urijah Faber, his fight with Cody (Garbrandt), his fight with all the (Team) Alpha Male (fighters). That's what really put the lightweight (divisions) on the map.
'Then obviously my rivalry and his, which probably is still not even over. He probably still hates my guts as much as I hate his, but I guess the only thing I can say is I'm glad I ain't fighting him because that would have really sucked, and congratulations to him that he just retired.'
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie's event hub for UFC Fight Night 252.
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