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Dominick Cruz makes championship return to face T.J. Dillashaw

Bantamweight division’s present meets its past in main event of UFC Fight Night 81

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Dominick Cruz gestures to the crowd after weighing in for UFC 178 Friday, September 26, 2104, at the MGM Grand’s Convention Center.

Sat, Jan 16, 2016 (2 a.m.)

Even in a sport fraught with devastating injuries, UFC bantamweight Dominick Cruz has endured more health setbacks in the last four years than the vast majority of fighters suffer in a career.

The 30-year-old has undergone four surgeries — including three to repair ACLs in both knees — since he last defended the 135-pound division’s title in October 2011. The UFC held out hope for more than two years that he would be able to return before the inactivity eventually forced the locally based promotion to strip Cruz of the title in 2014.

But the fight in Cruz never subsided.

“What it comes down to is challenging yourself,” Cruz said. “We only get one life to live, and this is a huge challenge. Every one of us as fighters is doing this to evolve as a person, and I feel like that’s actually what this is about.”

Cruz’s evolution could culminate with the comeback of a lifetime Sunday night at UFC Fight Night 81 in Boston against the man who assumed the championship in his absence, T.J. Dillashaw.

The 29-year-old Dillashaw seeks the coronation of a lifetime. It’s rare that a champion trying to stabilize his place receives the opportunity to face an opponent widely considered the greatest ever from his weight class.

Cruz captured the WEC bantamweight title, which turned into the UFC belt after the promotion absorbed the weight classes of its sister company, before Dillashaw debuted as a professional fighter. He then defended it four times before Dillashaw reached the UFC.

Cruz’s only fight since Dillashaw became champion was in September 2014, when he knocked out Takeya Mizugaki in 61 seconds before tearing his ACL again as soon as he resumed training after the victory.

“You can’t underestimate the guy because he’s been out,” Dillashaw said. “He was on top for a reason, and he’s great.”

That may have been the lone compliment either fighter has muttered about each other. The prolonged battle with his own body may have humbled Cruz, but it didn’t silence him.

Cruz, who’s worked in television commentary for the UFC on Fox while he’s been out, has eviscerated Dillashaw with insults like calling him a meathead jock. The champion even completely shut off and couldn’t respond in one joint interview.

“T.J. is the type of guy that would rather fight than talk, and I think that’s because he’s not that smart,” Cruz said.

It remains to be seen if Cruz can out-slick Dillashaw in the octagon as thoroughly as he has in the media. Dillashaw, who’s won all three of his title fights by knockout, has appeared to surpass Cruz in some ways.

Half a decade ago, many raved about Cruz’s footwork and striking output. But Dillashaw has looked just as crafty while landing a record 5.81 strikes per minute, according to FightMetric. Cruz’s average is 3.4 strikes per minute.

“It’s funny that Dominick always says that I don’t talk crap because I’m not very smart when I’m the one that’s got the college degree and went to school,” Dillashaw said. “That’s just because the fact that I’m a martial artist and I was showing respect. I’m not one of those guys who’s going to do the Conor McGregor thing and talk a bunch of crap to make money. I’m in this and I want to look back on my career and know that I made the right choices and that I portrayed myself the way I want to be portrayed.”

Cruz is less concerned with his legacy, in part because he feels it’s secure. A near-constant blitz of injuries that would have broken most fighters couldn’t stop him.

“I’m coming from behind the desk the last four years and I’m about to go compete with what people are saying is one of the better pound-for-pound guys in the world,” Cruz said. “So, it’s going to be pretty crazy when I go out there and put on a great show and even win. The pressure is not on me. I’m getting the chance of a lifetime right here. I’ve been out, and I get to fight for a title again.”

Case Keefer can be reached at 702-948-2790 or [email protected]. Follow Case on Twitter at twitter.com/casekeefer.

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