Dominick Cruz explains why Henry Cejudo winning the bantamweight title would've been "catastrophic" for the division
Dominick Cruz recently claimed that Henry Cejudo coming out on top at UFC 288 would've had a "catastrophic" impact on the bantamweight division.
Aljamain Sterling successfully defended his bantamweight championship at UFC 288 this past weekend, coming away with a split decision victory over Henry Cejudo at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey.
During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour, former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz recapped the recently concluded 135-pound title fight, discussing Sterling's win, the judges' scorecards and his own future in the division. The 38-year-old had a lot to say about the controversial scoring of the bout, but is happy that the rightful winner ultimately came out on top.
Cruz added that had Cejudo emerged victorious, the former two-division might've left the division once again as he did back in 2020. 'The Dominator' said:
"It would have been catastrophic [if Cejudo won]. Because anybody who comes and wins the title and retires when they're in there prime is trying to dodge pressure."
Cruz went on to praise Aljamain Sterling, asserting that 'Funk Master' never retreats from the intense pressure of being a champion. He added:
"They dodge the pressure, they dodge USADA come into your house, they dodge the pool, they dodge the work, they dodge the heat. I don't respect that. Aljamain Sterling never dodged the heat. He stayed in it, he's still staying in it. I think that Henry Cejudo would have dodged the heat and it would have been hard for the bantamweight division."
Notably, Henry Cejudo retired and vacated his belts following his bantamweight title defense against Dominick Cruz back in 2020. Cejudo called it quits after his TKO win over Cruz, which many deemed to be an early stoppage.
Catch Dominick Cruz's comments below (03:11):
Henry Cejudo title fight: What did Conor McGregor say about UFC 288?
Henry Cejudo made a comeback at UFC 288 after a three-year hiatus, looking to re-claim the bantamweight strap. However, he narrowly missed out on his goal, dropping a split decision to current champion Aljamain Sterling.
During his hiatus, Cejudo seemingly prioritized his growing YouTube channel and coaching other fighters. He often jibed at Conor McGregor as well, critiquing the Irishman's technique.
Soon after UFC 288, McGregor wasted no time in clapping back at Cejudo. On Twitter, 'The Notorious' congratulated Sterling before mocking 'Triple C' for losing after spending the last year giving advice to other fighters.
McGregor even posted a video online, highlighting the mistakes Cejudo made against Sterling. 'Triple C' responded at the UFC 288 post-fight presser, saying:
"Conor McGregor don't got sh*t on my resume."
#UFC288Cejudo isn't fazed by McGregor's comments 💪 #UFC288
(via @TheNotoriousMMA) twitter.com/i/web/status/1… https://t.co/MRzHIIWM4U