Former UFC Champion Says He Wants ‘One Last Dance’

Dominick Cruz is destined for the UFC Hall of Fame when he hangs up the gloves. The 39-year-old former UFC men's bantamweight champion knows that time is coming sooner rather than later, but he told TMZ Sports on Monday that he would fight one more time, preferably in early 2025. "I'll tell you, I think I got a last dance," Cruz said. "I want one last dance in me. Just go out there and have fun. And when I say fun, I mean fight to the bitter death and see what I have in me." Cruz hasn't fought since he lost to Marlon Vera via fourth-round KO in August 2022. Since the defeat, Cruz has been working as a color analyst for the UFC. He has been helping young athletes at the UFC Performance Institute training recently, but he's also been training himself for the comeback. When Cruz's desire for one more fight spread throughout the MMA community on Monday, many called for the long-rumored battle between him and Jose Aldo. That fight feels like the most likely matchup for Cruz. However, fellow UFC broadcaster Jon Anik called for a rematch between his colleague and former two-division champion Henry Cejudo. That post kicked off some banter between Cejudo’s manager, Ali Abdelaziz, who called the fight easy work for his client. Cruz wasn’t going to take the insult lightly. He quickly took a shot at Abdelaziz, calling him “a work mule,” saying his “words hold no weight.” Abdelaziz contends he holds more weight in the industry, but Cruz continued with the poignant shots at Cejudo’s manager. That said, Abdelaziz reminded Cruz of what happened in the first fight with Cejudo. In May 2020, Cejudo landed a devastating knee and followed it up with punches to earn the fourth-round KO win over Cruz. Here is a look at the finish and some commentary from Cruz, who criticizes referee Keith Peterson for “stopping the fight too soon.” The stoppage was perfect, as Cruz's knee badly rocked him, and he did not show the wherewithal to protect himself from Cejudo’s punches on the ground. Based on Cruz’s inactivity, he would likely be the underdog against Aldo and Cejudo. In any case, it would be nice to see him have an opportunity to have a proper retirement fight. Dominick Cruz is a former two-time UFC champion at 135 pounds and he was one of the few holdovers from World Extreme Cagefighting. Injuries have been an unfortunate factor in Cruz’s career. After being sidelined by injuries for an extended period, the UFC and stripped him of his title in 2014. Cruz made returned in 2016 and wound up regaining his championship by defeating T.J. Dillashaw in January 2016. Cruz has emerged as one of the UFC’s top analysts. He often works on Dana White Contender Series, UFC Fight Nights and some pay-per-views. Cruz was born in San Diego. He is of Mexican descent. He was raised in a single-parent household by his mother in Tucson, Arizona. Cruz is known for his footwork, wrestling skills, quick striking and angle changes. When he does retire, he will go down as one of the best bantamweights in UFC history, and arguably the best ever in the division.