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Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz wants to make the walk to the octagon one last time early next year.
“I’ll tell you, I think I got a last dance, I want one last dance in me,” Cruz told TMZ. “Just go out there and have fun, and when I say fun, I mean fight to the bitter death and see what I have in me.
“The fun comes months after that. That’s when it gets to set in and be like, ‘OK, that was fun. But I’m ready to walk in the fire again and see what life and death really looks like. One more go at that would be a pleasure.”
Cruz made his UFC debut in 2011 as the promotion’s 135-pound champ, but because of a litany of injuries throughout his career, he’s only been able to compete 10 times in the octagon. Cruz one his first five UFC fights, which included defending his title twice, and then re-gaining it following a pair of lengthy layoffs.
In his most recent outing, Cruz was knocked out by Marlon Vera in the fourth round in the main event of UFC San Diego in August 2022. The 39-year-old was hoping to compete this year, but it didn’t come together for him.
“I wanted to get after it this year but it’s not looking like a matchup is getting negotiated exactly right the way that it is,” Cruz explained. “There’s some guys out there that have looked really good. The whole division is stacked, so it’s been incredible to be a part of that division.
“But probably early next year is what’s going to work and line up.”