Dominick Cruz blames a UFC official for miscommunication with Cory Sandhagen
Dominick Cruz holds a UFC official responsible for the confusion that has been created over a potential fight with Cory Sandhagen.
Cruz had last competed in December 2016, when he lost his Bantamweight title to Cody Garbrandt at UFC 2017. Several injuries and subsequent recoveries kept him out of the cage ever since.
Speaking to MMA Fighting about his comeback, the former Champion wanted to clear up a few things, starting with the rumor that he backed away from a fight against Sandhagen.
Dominick Cruz: I never said no to Sandhagen
Sandhagen recently claimed in an Instagram post that he has agreed to fight Cruz at UFC San Diego and was waiting for his response.
Later in an interview, Sandhagen revealed that Cruz has turned down the offer due to short notice, so he agreed to fight Aljamain Sterling instead.
Cruz said that his personal experience does not add up to what Sandhagen is saying. In his opinion, the person to blame for that is the "only one common denominator" between the fighters, the UFC matchmaker, Sean Shelby.
"So Sean Shelby is the matchmaker, me and Cory Sandhagen don’t talk, who is Cory Sandhagen getting his information from? He’s getting it from the matchmaker. Where else would he get it? He’s the only guy talking to both of us, isn’t he?"
Cruz thinks Shelby is trying to create a rift between the two fighters like he often does in Cruz's experience. To explain himself, Cruz brought up the conversation he had with Shelby about his return to the Octagon.
Cruz wants the fastest route to the title shot
Cruz shared that he asked for the fastest way to a title shot and was asked to fight Petr Yan, to which he agreed. But that does not mean he turned down a bout with Sandhagen. He simply wants to make way to the title, no matter who he is fighting.
"I never said no to Sandhagen. I never would. I don’t say no to fights. What I said no to was not fighting Petr Yan. I want to fight Petr Yan, I want to fight Marlon Moraes, I want to fight for the title after I fight one of those guys. If you need me to get one fight back before I fight for the title, give me that guy you need me to fight to get to that title."
But before he can make his return, Cruz is due to appear at the broadcasting booth for UFC 249, which is now in jeopardy with Khabib Nurmagomedov being stuck in Russia.
"It's shut down, we have one fight coming up and one of the half of the main event is already out. That fight was going to be the biggest fight ever, in my opinion. I was so looking forward to it."