Dominick Cruz Expected To Be Out Another Year After Surgery

Dominick Cruz was recently forced from his upcoming bout with John Lineker due to a shoulder injury.

Now, the former UFC bantamweight champ has revealed he will facing yet another lengthy injury recovery.

Cruz said on today on ‘Ariel Helwani’s MMA Show’ that he tore two ligaments in his shoulder and will have to undergo surgery. The surgery will keep him out of action for approximately another year in another long injury layoff. He likened it to tearing an ACL:

“It’s basically an ACL of the shoulder,” he said.

The Dominator’ has been out of action since he lost the bantamweight title to Cody Garbrandt at December 2016’s UFC 207. He vowed to come back even stronger after the one-sided unanimous decision loss in his third fight of 2016. He was then scheduled to face Jimmie Rivera in 2017, but broke his arm in training. 

That injury derailed his comeback from a vast battle with injuries. He had been limited to one fight since late 2011. Cruz underwent an alarming three torn ACL surgeries and also tore his groin. He returned from that long layoff to outlast current champion TJ Dillashaw by close split decision in January 2016.

Cruz was steadfast that he would persevere through his latest injury and fight again, saying they would be part of his legacy:

“It’s just part of my journey, and it’s going to be part of my legacy, these injuries.”

Cruz has been goaded by his fellow bantamweight contenders to stay in the broadcast booth, where he’s become one of the best analysts in the sport. But he clarified that was not even an option for him right now:

“Exactly when you quit in sports,” he said, “is exactly when you quit in life.”