Dominick Cruz opens up on retirement: ‘I’m not getting paid big enough dollars that it’s worth my arm’
Former two-time undisputed bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz has reflected on his emotional decision to retire from combat sports earlier this month following a litany of recent injuries, claiming he is not receiving enough financial compensation in order to risk further injury to his body.
Cruz, a former two-time undisputed bantamweight champion under the promotion’s umbrella having achieved similar success with the WEC (World Extreme Cagefighting), was slated to return to action this weekend at UFC Seattle, in a co-main event fight with perennial contender, Rob Font.
However, weeks out from the pairing, San Diego veteran, Cruz revealed he had suffered a pair of debilitating shoulder dislocations, and was hanging up gloves up from combat sports for good with immediate effect.
To the fans worldwide, I have poured every ounce of myself into this sport for the last 25 years,” Dominick Cruz posted on his X account. “I was really hopeful for one final fight but unfortunately, two shoulder dislocations in 8 months calls an end to this guy’s career. I gave everything I had and put it into preparation and training for this fight —focusing on my cardio and my body for the past year. But sometimes, the body just doesn’t cooperate. The pain isn’t as bad now that my shoulder is back in place, but the second dislocation was far more complicated than the first. This sport has been everything to me—it’s helped to shape who I am.
Thank you to the @ufc for building this platform and paving the way for fighters like myself and so many others,” Dominick Cruz continued. “The UFC broke barriers to set the stage not just for us as fighters. Also for every mma sports organization that followed them across the bridge created throughout politics in order to allow our sport to take place LEGALLY in the United States and now the world.
“I am incredibly grateful to everyone who booked tickets, hotels, and flights to support me. Thank you all for being there through every moment, every victory, and every challenge. You’ve made this journey unforgettable. Thank you for the love and support. I will carry it with me always. With love, Dominick.”
Appearing during an interview with Ariel Helwani for Uncrowned this evening, Dominick Cruz reflected on his decision to retirement from combat sports, claiming a factor in his decision to hang up his gloves stems from a lack of financial compensation to risk further debilitating injuries to his body.
Dominick Cruz reflects on decision to retirement from combat sports
“And I’ll be honest, like I was on borrowed time when I booked this fight, but because of the state of my body leading into that, I was very confident that I could make it,” Dominick Cruz said. “And so I booked the fight. Unfortunately, the arm gave out and it had given out before, but this time it was different.It was kind of a basic position. So it just, as you can see on the one on the left, my left, um, it’s completely out.
“And the problem was when it sits out like that, the pain is just absolutely excruciating and it wouldn’t go back in. So when they went to move it back in the shout out to the GI trainers, they’re very good. The first time I did it, they were able to slide it right back in within three minutes. This time they lifted me up by a towel on my shoulder and it just, the muscles locked it into place.
“It’s do you want your shoulder or is it, or is the money you’re getting paid worth your arm? And for me, I’m not getting paid big enough dollars that it’s worth my arm,” Dominick Cruz explained. “Maybe if I was making, you know, a few million, maybe that might change it. I might’ve gone in there and figured out how to make it work at 50% on one arm and a hundred percent on my other. But with the amount of money I’m getting paid, wasn’t worth the livelihood of my brain and my body.”
