Article by Kevin Haggerty

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz is expected to face number one contender Urijah Faber at UFC 148 in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 7, 2012, in a rubber match that will pit the coaches from The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15 up against each other for a third — and likely final — time.

The 135-pound bout will hopefully bring some closure to the heated rivalry that dates all the way back to March 24, 2007, when the “California Kid” defeated “The Dominator” at World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) 26 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

It was the only loss of Cruz’s bright mixed martial arts (MMA) career. And one that he eventually avenged when he won a five-round decision victory over Faber at UFC 132 on July 2, 2011, and an exciting back-and-forth battle.

In a recent interview with HDNet’s “Inside MMA,” Cruz talked about the upcoming season of TUF and how he plans on approaching being one of the coaches for the upcoming FX reality television series:

“You know, it’s gonna be intense. This format has never been done, so it’s a new thing for everybody; including the guys on the show. When the coaching’s going on, it’s gonna be about the guys, you know? Making sure that their minds stay right. You can’t overwork them during the week because they could be fighting every single week. There’s a mental thing where they’re going 13 weeks, trapped in a house with a bunch of dudes. You see the guys in the past shows, they were there half the time and they went nuts. So, imagine what 13 weeks is gonna be like. So it’s about keeping the guys in check, keeping them focused, not letting their minds wander too much while they’re stuck in there and keeping them on point.”

Just wait till you hear what he has to say about Faber:

“At the end of the show, I get to fight Faber and you know, I’ll always fight him better than he’ll fight me. As much as he wants to talk about being the more dangerous fighter, this and that — the dude was on his heels the entire fight. He didn’t wanna come forward. He was countering the whole time, looking to counter, because he didn’t know when I was gonna come or go. So, there’s a style that he doesn’t understand, the way that I fight him, that he chooses to say negative things about it, because he can’t understand it. What you can’t understand, you choose to talk bad about. He’s not gonna beat me. He doesn’t know how. I’m gonna go in there and have my way with him, just like I did in the last fight. Keep the pace high, put him on his butt and beat him down.”

Ultimately, Cruz believes he is the superior fighter in every way. He is confident that Faber won’t beat him, because, according to Cruz, he can’t beat him in any aspect of the fight game:

“He can’t. He can’t keep me there even if he does get me down. The one time he did get a takedown on me, in the last fight, he got reversed and ended up on his back. I’m gonna win the scrambles on him, even if he does try to take me down. And, you know, on the feet, I own the range. He can’t control the range because I’m taller than him and I have the reach advantage. I use my angles and footwork to keep him offset the whole time. That’s the key in those fights. He had a good gameplan in trying to wait, wait, wait and counter, but the fact that he doesn’t know when I’m coming and going and he can’t control the range, that gives me the edge in striking as well.”

Cruz may not like Faber. He may not even believe he’s capable of beating him. But, he does give him some credit for having a smart gameplan in their last appearance in the cage. He just doesn’t believe it will be enough to get the win:

“I think that his gameplan, in general, is a pretty good one, in that (he says), ‘I’m not gonna chase him.’ The times that people have tried to be extremely forceful and offensive on me and had that ‘bully’ tactic, I usually pick guys apart better that way. So, the fact that he would kinda sit and he waited and tried to pick his shots smart was probably the one thing that was intelligent about him, but in that case, I was able to throw two-to-one on him. That’s gonna be the key is just output and pace and takedowns and landing the bigger shots. Getting the finish.

The finish. A result that Cruz has not accomplished in more than four years, excluding the injury to Brian Bowles in their fight way back in 2010.

That sounds refreshing. And lofty.

The ceremony takes place February 15th at the Town & Country Resort & Convention Center in San Diego.
Date: February 15, 2012 – 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Tickets for Salute to the Champions can be purchased by contacting Erica Monzon at the San Diego Hall of Champions at EricaM@sdhoc.com or calling 619.699.2305

The San Diego Hall of Champions’ 66th Annual Salute to the Champions presented by the Robert & Lillie Breitbard Foundation will be held at the Town and Country Resort Hotel’s Grand Exhibit Hall on February 15, 2012. The event inducts the Breitbard Hall of Fame Class for 2012, and honors Amateur and Professional Stars of the Year, the Challenged Athlete of the Year, and the Stars of the Month. The dinner annually attracts a crowd of more than 1,000 San Diego sports fans. The Hall of Champions recognizes amateur, collegiate and professional sports excellence of San Diego’s athletes. Breitbard Hall of Famers include Marshall Faulk (2009), Tony Gwynn (2002) and Tony Hawk (2002) among scores of others.

66th Annual Salute to the Champions
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Reception 5:00 p.m.
Dinner and Program 6:15 p.m.
Business Attire
-Grand Exhibit Hall-
Town and Country Resort & Convention Center

2011 Professional Stars of the Year
Rachel Buehler, Soccer
Dominick Cruz, MMA
J.J. Killeen, Golf
Cameron Maybin, Baseball
Arian Foster, Football
Adrian Gonzales, Baseball
Eric Weddle, Football
Shaun White, Action Sports

Breitbard Hall of Fame 2012 Inductees
Bernie Bickerstaff
Monique Henderson
C.R. Roberts
Art “Hambone” Williams

2011 Amateur Stars of the Year
Suzanne Cornwell, Cross Country
Camille Gaito, Softball
Charles Jock, Track & Field
Kawhi Leonard, Basketball
Natalie Hagglund, Volleyball
Ronnie Hillman, Football
Stephanie Ochs, Soccer
Erica Wessels, Soccer

2011 Significant Achievement
Breana Jemison, Track & Field
Cal State San Marcos Cross Country
Cathedral Catholic High School Girls Volleyball
Darren Fahy, Cross Country
Dave Smola, Athletic Director
Helix High School Football
Jesse Martinez, Golf
Marques Roberts, Track & Field
Torrey Pines High School Boys Golf
Torrey Pines High School Girls Golf
UCSD Softball

2011 Challenged Athlete of the Year
Jeremy Poincenot

2011 Ernest H. Wright Humanitarian Award
Quentin & Alicia Jammer

Article By MMAWeekly.com

UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz will serve as honorary pace car driver at the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race, the Subway Fresh Fit 500, at Phoenix International Raceway on March 4.

“Dominick is a true Arizona success story and we are proud of the style and class with which he represents our entire region,” said track president Bryan R. Sperber in a statement on Thursday. “We are excited to have him headline the weekend activities that kickoff the start of the 2012 NASCAR season at PIR.”

Cruz is excited to drive the pace car before the 43-car field of Sprint Cup competitors.

“Having been a long-time fan of PIR and NASCAR, I am honored to be part of one of the most exciting sporting events in the Phoenix area,” said Cruz. “Similar to whenever I step into the ring, these drivers go out there and put it all on the line to win the race and give the fans a great show.”

Cruz, born and raised in Tucson, Arizona, is one of the coaches of the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter opposite long-time rival Urijah Faber. It will be the first season of the popular reality show on the Fox networks.

The Subway Fresh Fit 500 airs live on Fox on Sunday, March 4. The Ultimate Fighter 15, featuring Cruz as a coach debuts on March 9. Cruz and Faber will settle the rivalry in a third match up following the conclusion of the show’s finale.

The ceremony takes place February 15th at the Town & Country Resort & Convention Center in San Diego.
Date: February 15, 2012 – 6:00pm – 9:00pm
Tickets for Salute to the Champions can be purchased by contacting Erica Monzon at the San Diego Hall of Champions at EricaM@sdhoc.com or calling 619.699.2305

The San Diego Hall of Champions’ 66th Annual Salute to the Champions presented by the Robert & Lillie Breitbard Foundation will be held at the Town and Country Resort Hotel’s Grand Exhibit Hall on February 15, 2012. The event inducts the Breitbard Hall of Fame Class for 2012, and honors Amateur and Professional Stars of the Year, the Challenged Athlete of the Year, and the Stars of the Month. The dinner annually attracts a crowd of more than 1,000 San Diego sports fans. The Hall of Champions recognizes amateur, collegiate and professional sports excellence of San Diego’s athletes. Breitbard Hall of Famers include Marshall Faulk (2009), Tony Gwynn (2002) and Tony Hawk (2002) among scores of others.

66th Annual Salute to the Champions
Wednesday, February 15, 2012
Reception 5:00 p.m.
Dinner and Program 6:15 p.m.
Business Attire
-Grand Exhibit Hall-
Town and Country Resort & Convention Center

2011 Professional Stars of the Year
Rachel Buehler, Soccer
Dominick Cruz, MMA
J.J. Killeen, Golf
Cameron Maybin, Baseball
Arian Foster, Football
Adrian Gonzales, Baseball
Eric Weddle, Football
Shaun White, Action Sports

Breitbard Hall of Fame 2012 Inductees
Bernie Bickerstaff
Monique Henderson
C.R. Roberts
Art “Hambone” Williams

2011 Amateur Stars of the Year
Suzanne Cornwell, Cross Country
Camille Gaito, Softball
Charles Jock, Track & Field
Kawhi Leonard, Basketball
Natalie Hagglund, Volleyball
Ronnie Hillman, Football
Stephanie Ochs, Soccer
Erica Wessels, Soccer

2011 Significant Achievement
Breana Jemison, Track & Field
Cal State San Marcos Cross Country
Cathedral Catholic High School Girls Volleyball
Darren Fahy, Cross Country
Dave Smola, Athletic Director
Helix High School Football
Jesse Martinez, Golf
Marques Roberts, Track & Field
Torrey Pines High School Boys Golf
Torrey Pines High School Girls Golf
UCSD Softball

2011 Challenged Athlete of the Year
Jeremy Poincenot

2011 Ernest H. Wright Humanitarian Award
Quentin & Alicia Jammer

HAPPY HOLIDAYS From Joey Beltran, Phil Davis, Alexander Gustafsson, Dominick Cruz, Ross Pearson, Eric Del Fierro & The Rest Of The Alliance Training Center Team!

Article by Loretta Hunt, SI.com
Of the seven UFC champions, bantamweight titleholder Dominick Cruz has the most to gain from his starring stint as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter 15 this March on FX.

It’s something not lost on the 26-year-old Cruz, who knows one of his Christmas presents came early this year when he got the call from UFC president Dana White just hours before the announcement in early December.

“Every call I get for each fight is the next big call of my life,” Cruz said. “I’m getting used to getting the biggest call of my life one after another. To fight in the UFC is once in a lifetime. To have the belt is once in a lifetime. To be on Fox’s FX [network] is once in a lifetime.”

Cruz said that candidates for the coveted coaching positions on the hit reality TV show, which moves from Spike TV to the Fox-owned cable channel in the new year, are kept in the dark just as much as the fans for fear of the news leaking out before UFC parent company Zuffa wants it to. Prior to White’s call, Cruz said he was given one cryptic message by Zuffa brass a few weeks prior to “keep your head on a swivel because you have an opportunity that might arise.”

When White did call Cruz, he had only one question: Red or blue? Cruz chose red for his team color; rival coach Urijah Faber’s team will wear blue.

It’s very rare that a fighter turns down the opportunity to appear on the television vehicle that springboarded the UFC out of the red in 2005 and launched the sport into its most important growth phase to date. In Cruz’s case, the opportunity is especially golden because he doesn’t think his personal story has traveled outside the sport’s hardcore circles and past the fans that watched Zuffa’s now-defunct sister promotion, World Extreme Cagefighting, on the more obscure Versus channel between 2007 and ’10.

Cruz believes he has his archrival Faber to partially thank for that.

“I think a lot of people have misconceptions about me,” Cruz said. “People usually believe what Faber’s been saying about me, that I’m a d-bag and all these negative things. Of course, he’s going to say negative things about me. I’ve beaten him and some of his teammates. What nice stuff will he have to say about me?”

For a big piece of Cruz’s backstory, one need not look much further than the fighter’s main coach of five years, Eric Del Fierro.

Del Fierro, a promoter for San Diego’s regional show Total Combat in 2006, admits he booked Cruz as a two-week replacement against seasoned lightweight Dave Hisquierdo not expecting too much from him.

What Del Fierro got, he said, was “heart, determination, and a desire to win at all costs.”

Hisquierdo dropped Cruz many times, but he always got up. After 15 minutes, Del Fierro said Cruz had a broken nose, two black eyes, and would later be diagnosed with a concussion at the hospital.
“I didn’t expect him to win, but he pulled out a split decision,” Del Fierro said. “To this day, I think it was his hardest fight ever.”

Del Fierro offered Cruz a title shot in the promotion two months later. After Cruz won, he dropped 10 pounds and fought for Total Combat’s vacant featherweight title against Shad Smith and earned a painful unanimous decision.

“By the third round, Smith was hitting him with open hands because his own hands hurt too much for closed fists,” Del Fierro said.

Cruz, who now touted an attractive 9-0 record, was called up to the big leagues only four months later, when he fought WEC 145-pound champion Faber for the first time in March 2007. Cruz was grossly underprepared for Faber, who had twice as many fights as him against much tougher opponents. Faber submitted Cruz in a minute and 38 seconds, but the Tucson transplant’s first defeat was a motivating wake-up call.

“After I fought Faber it was like the sky’s the limit,” Cruz said. “Let’s get to training; let’s fix everything and go win a title. I threw everything in my car, drove to California, and lived on Eric’s floor for a couple of months.”

Del Fierro retired from promoting and became a coach at the Alliance MMA training center in Chula Vista, Calif., home to UFC light heavyweights Phil Davis, Brandon Vera, Alexander Gustaffson; TUF 9 winner Ross Pearson and other prominent players.

In the next three years, Del Fierro helped mold Cruz into championship material and the fighter validated his status when he took the WEC 135-pound crown from Brian Bowles with a second-round stoppage at WEC 47 in March 2010. Cruz has efficiently defended his title on four occasions, and got his revenge on the ultra-popular Faber with a five-round unanimous decision at UFC 132 last July, after Zuffa decided to merge the two promotions in late 2010.

Del Fierro believes viewers will be surprised by what they see from Cruz on the show when it starts airing weekly in March.

“His discipline and his work ethic is what sets him apart,” Del Fierro said. “You can’t see that until you train with a guy. He’s basically the team captain at Alliance and it wasn’t by his choice. I didn’t assign him. It’s just happened because he earns so much respect from his teammates.”

It’s obvious that Cruz’s drive to succeed comes from his simple beginnings in Tucson with his single mother, his brother and his father out of the picture, though he’s hesitant to dwell too much on what he considers common circumstances for many of his peers.

It’s also apparent that Cruz doesn’t like to complain. Case in point, it was the UFC president White who told the media that the fighter had broken his hand during his last title defense against Demetrius Johnson in October. Shortly afterward, Cruz underwent his second major hand surgery of 2011.

Cruz, who wrestled throughout high school and quit college to become a full-time fighter, said he’s prepared to share his story on the reality series if he’s asked to.
“This gives me an opportunity to come out and show the kind of person I am,” Cruz said. “Once you get to know me, I’m just like everybody else. I work a job and I strive to succeed and become a better person and help the people around me. I feel like that’s what life is about.”

Cruz said the coaching aspect of the show, which will use an experimental weekly shoot-edit-air schedule and end each episode with a live fight, is right up his alley. Cruz said he coached high school wrestling for four years and has taught MMA classes at various gyms since age 18 in exchange for membership.

“I’m asked constantly, ‘How do I come up with that style?’ or ‘How do I not get tired?’ Cruz said. “There’s really no secret to it. I’m a human being like everyone else; I just work really hard to make sure it works out for me. I want to share that with my team.”

So far, Cruz said his only instructions have been to report to the Ultimate Training Center in Las Vegas in early March with his coaching team. Since the series will shoot over 13 weeks, getting his supporting staff together has been a little trickier than the 30-day commitment participants have made for past seasons.

Del Fierro, who’s also full-time firefighter, is tentatively set to appear as head coach; Doug Balzarini will handle conditioning; and Penn State alum Davis will serve as wrestling coach barring any conflicting obligations from Zuffa following his bout against Rashad Evans on UFC on Fox 2 on Jan. 28 in Chicago.

Cruz and Del Fierro will also rotate in revolving coaches, like Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts Lloyd Irvin and Andre Galvao, Penn State wrestler Adam Lynch and wrestling coach Eric Uresk, as well as boxing instructor Adrian Melendrez in two-week allotments. UFC heavyweight Joey Beltran is also slated to appear as a cage-control expert.

Cruz said he hasn’t stopped thinking about the new weekly schedule since the announcement, how fast situations will move on the show and how everything he says, whether in haste or not, could be heard by millions of fans if it’s edited in during the quick turnaround. It’s a lot of pressure for a fighter who might introduce the UFC and the sport to the slew of new fans that Zuffa hopes the network move could bring.

“I feel like [Faber and me] both professionals,” Cruz said, who’s also had choice words for Faber in the past. “We’re not stupid and we know how to talk and conduct ourselves like professionals.”
Cruz and Faber, who re-energized his career with an impressive dismantling of former champion Bowles at UFC 139 in November, were also rumored for TUF 14 coaching duties last summer, but the promotion and network chose bickering middleweights Michael Bisping and Jason “Mayhem” Miller to oversee the pool of featherweight and bantamweight hopefuls instead.

This season’s class will feature lightweight and welterweight fighters, and Cruz said he has no problem sharing the platform with Faber, who will get his fifth shot at a Zuffa-promoted title in the pending rubber match that will follow the show’s airing.

“I think it’s about who can represent the sport in the best way,” said Cruz. “That’s part of it, but who am I to say who deserves a title fight and who doesn’t? Let’s keep it real. That’s not my job. I’ll fight him again, I’ll beat him again and I’ll prove why I’m the champion.”

UFC’S THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER® REALITY SHOW MOVES TO FX WITH NEW LIVE FORMAT
UFC® BANTAMWEIGHT CHAMPION DOMINICK CRUZ AND URIJAH FABER TO SERVE AS COACHES ON UPCOMING SEASON OF THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER® LIVE ON FX
New Season Debuts on Friday, March 9

The Ultimate Fighting Championship® announced today that The Ultimate Fighter®, the longest-running sports reality show on television, is moving to FX this March with an exciting, new live format.

The Ultimate Fighter® LIVE debuts on Friday, March 9 as part of a two-hour season premiere beginning at 9 p.m. ET/PT. The show will then air for one hour at 10 p.m. ET/PT every Friday for the next 11 weeks on FX. The three-hour finale will conclude FX’s premiere season of The Ultimate Fighter®LIVE on June 1 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. UFC® bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and “The California Kid” Urijah Faber will serve as coaches on the upcoming season, with lightweight and welterweight contestants competing for two, six-figure UFC contracts.

This past Saturday, The Ultimate Fighter® concluded its run on SPIKE TV as 2.5 million viewers tuned in to watch the season 14 finale headlined by Michael Bisping battling Jason “Mayhem” Miller in a middleweight contest. The event was the highest rated and most watched TUF Finale since TUF 10 in 2009, and was the No. 1 program on cable among M18-49 and M18-34 (No. 2 in A18-49). In addition, season 14 was up +121 percent with A18-34 compared to the previous season. The strong ratings prove that the show has tremendous momentum heading into its highly anticipated arrival on FX.

“We’re producing ground-breaking television with The Ultimate Fighter LIVE and we can’t wait to kick this season off with FX in March,” UFC President Dana White said. “It’s going to be can’t-miss TV. Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber are two incredible personalities who also happen to be two of the best fighters in the world. They genuinely dislike each other and I expect this to make for the best season yet.”

“We believe that Dana and Lorenzo (Fertitta), along with Executive Producer Craig Piligian, have come up with exciting new changes to the format of The Ultimate Fighter that will expand and grow the series,” said Chuck Saftler, Executive Vice President, FX Networks. “The fact that the fights at the end of each episode will now be televised live is certain to create a sense of urgency for UFC fans. Furthermore, the move of TUF to Friday nights will provide a great ratings boost to the network.”

The rivalry between coaches Cruz and Faber dates back to March 2007, when Faber handed Cruz his first and only professional loss in a 145-pound bout. The 26-year-old Cruz avenged that loss this past July, defeating Faber by unanimous decision to retain the bantamweight crown in a Fight of the Year candidate. With the series now even, Cruz and Faber look to settle the score as TUF coaches, followed by a title fight in mid-2012 inside the Octagon®.

Undefeated at 9-0 since dropping to bantamweight in 2008, San Diego’s Cruz (19-1) has surged to the top of the division thanks to unorthodox striking, tremendous cardio, and aggressive wrestling. Owner of wins over the likes of Faber, Demetrious Johnson, Scott Jorgensen, Joseph Benavidez (twice), and Brian Bowles, “The Dominator” has long sought an opportunity to serve as coach on The Ultimate Fighter®. The chance to coach opposite his longtime rival makes the opportunity that much sweeter.

“Anyone who knows me knows that I’m a gym rat and love learning and teaching mixed martial arts,” Cruz, who trains at Alliance MMA in San Diego, said. “This is a dream come true. To get a chance to coach TUF and beat Faber again is all the motivation I need. This is going to be an insane season of The Ultimate Fighter.”

Sacramento’s Faber cemented his place as a pioneer in the lighter weight divisions after holding the WEC featherweight title for a span of over two years from 2006-2008. Boasting victories over the likes of Cruz, Jeff Curran and Jens Pulver at 145-pounds, “The California Kid” dropped to his more natural weight class of 135-pounds in November 2010 in search of his second world title. He’s since been on a tear, most recently submitting former champion Bowles at UFC® 139.

Now, the 32-year-old turns his attention to another one of his passions – coaching.

“I can’t wait to be the next coach on The Ultimate Fighter,” Faber, whose gym in Sacramento has helped produce UFC stars Benavidez, Chad Mendes and Danny Castillo, said. “I am looking forward to mentoring a bunch of hungry and talented fighters. The new cast needs to be ready to work hard and learn! Having Dominick coach on the opposite side couldn’t be more perfect. I’m not too thrilled about being in each other’s space for an extended period of time, as I am sure we are going to get on each other’s nerves. But I can’t wait to mentally beat him up as a coach, and then literally beat him up in the cage and swipe that UFC strap.”

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San Diego, CA – Mixed Martial Arts in San Diego has come a long way. From Total Combat to UFC, San Diego has yet to have a shortage of great fighters. And with all the recognition and praise this city receives for its MMA, it’s hard to imagine “What’s next for this MMA Community?”

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Alliance Training Center has been nominated for SEVEN Fighters Only: World MMA Awards! Yes you read correctly, SEVEN Nominations. This is the only Team in the World to ever be nominated for SEVEN MMA Awards! These awards will definitely help place San Diego where it should be, at the top of Mixed Martial Arts.

But first we need your help to win these awards, it will take a great effort because the competition is very stiff, voting has already started and there is not that much time left. So make sure you cast your votes NOW and share this with all your friends and family!

The Nominations and criteria are as follows:

The Charles ‘Mask’ Lewis Fighter of the Year: Dominick “The Dominator” Cruz
Awarded to the leading male mixed martial artist for his contribution to the sport and the success he has achieved throughout the year both inside and outside the octagon. Click Here To Cast Your Votes NOW!

Breakthrough Fighter of the Year: Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis
Awarded to the fighter who has had a rapid and meteoric impact on the elite level of the sport. A true superstar of the future, an athlete who has risen in status within his/her weight class and profile within the sport. Click Here To Cast Your Votes NOW!

International Fighter of the Year: Alexander “The Mauler” Gustafsson
Awarded to the leading mixed martial artist from outside of the Americas for his/her contribution to the sport and successes both inside and outside of the cage. Click Here To Cast Your Votes NOW!

Coach of the Year: Eric Del Fierro
Awarded to the most successful coach working in top-level mixed martial arts. Click Here To Cast Your Votes NOW!

Gym of the Year: Alliance Training Center
Awarded to the gym that has not only enjoyed great success inside the cage, but has also helped to develop the sport of MMA outside of the elite level. Click Here To Cast Your Votes NOW!

Fight of the Year: Dominick “The Dominator” Cruz vs Urijah “The California Kid” Faber UFC 132
Awarded to the two fighters involved in the most exciting fight staged during the year. Whether it be a stand up slugfest, a technical chess match or a thrilling spectacle voters should vote on merit and entertainment factors. Click Here To Cast Your Votes NOW!

Submission of the Year: Phil “Mr. Wonderful” Davis – Philmura aka Wonderbar
Awarded to the fighter who scored the most technical and/or slickest submission victory of the year. Click Here To Cast Your Votes NOW!

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Photo: Dave Mandel

In studying Demetrious Johnson’s fights, Dominick Cruz noticed one mistake his opponents were making above all others.

“They were letting him go hippity-hop, [run] circles all around them, throw crazy combinations and there was just no control,” Cruz told the Sherdog Radio Network’s “Savage Dog Show.” “The key to beating a guy like Demetrious is to control him.”

That’s what Cruz did Saturday at UFC Live 6 to earn a unanimous decision over Johnson and retain his bantamweight title. Scores were 50-45, 49-46 and 50-45.

“When you control him, he becomes sporadic and starts forcing things,” Cruz explained. “When he forces things, he gives up more takedowns. One thing leads to another. That was the game plan, and it worked out.”

Cruz finished 10 takedowns in the fight, according to FightMetric.com. Wrestling was a point of emphasis in the strategy he developed with trainer Eric Del Fierro.

“We knew [Johnson] was going to come and fight me in the pocket,” Cruz said. “By doing so, he gave up a lot more takedowns and I was able to use my strength and size on him a little bit more and just kind of break him and wear him out. I felt him wear down a little bit in the third round. That was the plan.”

In Cruz’s view, Johnson approached the fight the only way he could.

“You look at somebody’s style. You look at somebody’s stature. You look at their build and you know that they have to decide to fight you a certain way,” Cruz said. “Otherwise they won’t have a good chance in the fight. We knew how he had to fight me and we prepared for it.”

Johnson is a small but very quick bantamweight. Cruz expected him to be fast, but he was also impressed with how well Johnson put his strikes together in combinations. Still, Cruz felt that he was able to make Johnson miss more often than not.

“The guy’s a stud, but we knew he was fast,” Cruz said. “Even when you look back at the fight, he never really tagged me with anything real hard. Everything’s combinations that he’s throwing and I’m dodging, and he’s missing at least 80 percent of the punches and kicks that he throws.”

Cruz is tough to hit as is, but if you can’t stop his takedowns, the game on the feet becomes even more difficult. Johnson never quite figured him out.

“If people are going to stop the takedowns, then I’m going to light you up on your feet,” Cruz said. “If you’re not going to let me fight you the way I want on my feet, then I’m going to figure out a way to outgrapple you. There’s always a way to win and there’s always a way to piece things together to offset your opponent and make him uncomfortable. Really plain and simple, that’s the name of the game. It’s not about fighting a certain way. It’s about making your opponent uncomfortable and making them never know how you’re going to fight them.”

Despite a broken hand, Dominick Cruz never missed a step (or a jab) en route to defending his belt on Saturday, Josh Gross writes.

UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz ignored the pain, clenched his right hand, and fought for 25 minutes Saturday night. The result: his fourth consecutive title defense and a badly damaged hand that requires surgery.

In the opening round of a unanimous decision against Demetrious Johnson in Washington, D.C., Cruz (19-1) dislocated his middle finger at the knuckle and tore ligaments and tendons, the UFC champion told ESPN.com.

“It just hurt and felt off,” Cruz said. “My finger kept popping out of the socket.”

Cruz has dealt with major hand injuries before. He was forced out of action for nearly six months with a similar malady to his left hand before returning in July to best his rival Urijah Faber.

“It’s basically the exact same injury I had on my left hand,” Cruz said. “Same knuckle, same everything. The tendon is completely ripped off the bone and my finger is popping out of its socket due to that. And the knuckle just dislocates when I make a fist. I have to get that tendon that ripped reattached with surgery.”

Yet the 25-year-old, ranked No. 6 on ESPN.com’s pound-for-pound list, does not fear hand ailments will derail his career.

“After I got the surgery on my left hand the doctor said it would be stronger. And it’s true. It is stronger,” Cruz said. “He put an extra piece of tendon over the top of the knuckle so it’s braced for impact.

“He did some voodoo stuff with it that he drilled a hole through the knuckle and tied it so tight that there’s no way for that tendon to lift back up off the bone again. I really feel like it’s stronger than it was in the first place and I won’t have any issues with it anymore.”

Cruz intends to use the same orthopedic surgeon based out of Chicago who repaired his left hand. Cruz, who remained back East to visit family and friends, won’t see the orthopedist until he attends the UFC Fan Expo this weekend in Houston.

During the contest with Johnson, Cruz’s San Diego-based corner wasn’t aware its fighter was injured. Afterward, Cruz told his trainer Eric Del Fierro that he “could still make a fist” so he ignored the pain and didn’t say anything.

“I’m kind of weird where I feel if I don’t say anything about it it’s almost like it’s not an issue. I mean, no matter what, am I going to quit fighting because my hand is busted?” Cruz said. “That’s not an option. You have to figure out a different way to fight and win, unless it’s so bad that you just can’t take it. But it wasn’t so I didn’t feel the need to talk about it.”

Photo by UFC
“The kid broke his hand. You should see his hand right now. His whole middle of his hand is all swollen, his knuckle looks nasty. He’s going to get surgery next week. I don’t know how long it’s going to keep him out but it’s the second time. The surgery he had the other time was on the other hand. This is the opposite hand of the hand he had surgery on last time. After the fight he doesn’t say anything, he sits through the whole press conference, doesn’t say anything. I said to him, ‘You’re not gonna talk about your broken hand?’ He said, ‘What’s the point? I’m going to get it done and I’ll be back.’ I respect that.”

Unbelievably enough, last night (Oct. 1) during the main event bantamweight championship fight at UFC on Versus 6 in Washington D.C., titleholder Dominick Cruz broke his hand. This according to UFC President Dana White, who said it happened sometime during the very first round. It didn’t seem to affect Cruz in any way, as he would go on to battle through five rounds against Demetrious Johnson to retain his 135-pound strap. His reward is immediate surgery and an extended vacation with a busted up hand while he awaits the winner of the Urijah Faber vs. Brian Bowles fight scheduled for UFC 139 on Nov. 19. White lauded “The Dominator” for his toughness and ability to fight through an injury that should severely the ability of a fighter to properly do his job. There’s a reason Cruz is one of the pound-for-pound best. Gritty performances are the norm for him and another one is in the books. Anyone know what it takes to stop this man? Anything? More from White after the jump, courtesy of MMA Nation.

Reporting for Fist-ta-Cuff Radio and ProMMAnow.com, Isaac Guzman recently caught up with UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz at the Grand Opening of the new Alliance Training Center (www.alliancegym.com) in El Cajon.

The Champ spoke to us about his upcoming title fight with Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, which takes place this Saturday in the UFC on Versus 6 main event at the Verizon Center in Washington, D.C.

Cruz said although Johnson is quick, he does not believe “Mighty Mouse” has fought anyone as fast as he is, and he feels he has a size advantage as well. Cruz also said, not only does he believe he has a wrestling advantage over Johnson, but he believes he can ”out-wrestle, out-strike and out-grapple” anyone in his division.

Cruz also talked about fighting on this card with his Team Lloyd Irvin friend and teammate, Mike “The Hulk” Easton. The Champ said he has a lot of confidence in Easton and believes he has a bright future in the UFC. Cruz also shared his thoughts on possibly moving up in weight class some day, but said there is still plenty of work for him to do at 135 for now.

Two ultra-fast bantamweights prepare to outwork one another in a title fight that promises excitement – don’t miss Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson. Click here to watch video.

Dominick Cruz will make his fourth title defense at UFC on Versus 6, October 1st at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. against Demetrious Johnson
For more information click here: UFC Live Versus 6: Dominick Cruz vs Demetrious Johnson

Brought to you by: Alliance MMA EAST in El Cajon

Dominick Cruz will make his fourth title defense at UFC on Versus 6, October 1st at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. against Demetrious Johnson

With two weeks left of training, my foot is currently resting on the throttle, not quite off it, but not pressed down on it, either. It’s a balancing act and one I am now used to. We are currently in the peaking phase of training, and that means I am in and out of the gym on a daily basis, but not to the point where I’m likely to collapse in exhaustion at the end of a session. The aim is to keep my body ticking over, but to not overdo it or peak too soon. I have to know my limits and prepare myself to peak at the right time – ideally, October 1st, the night I defend my UFC world bantamweight title against Demetrious ‘Mighty Mouse’ Johnson, live on Versus.

I’m no longer doing those long, gruelling and grimey two-hour workouts like I’ve done in the past. Instead, I’ll warm up, do five or six rounds of sparring with alternating sparring partners, and then do two rounds of shadowboxing to finish off the session. That will keep me invigorated and fresh, but won’t cause me to break down or peak too early.

I’m already in fighting shape at this stage. I could do five rounds tomorrow if it was asked of me. The emphasis at this juncture is purely on sharpness, timing and getting the game plan prepared to the point where it becomes second nature to me once I step inside that Octagon.

Training is a mixed bag for me, in the same way I’m sure it is for many other professional fighters. Some days are very enjoyable, but others are horrible and long and painful. Sometimes the gym is the last place on Earth you want to be. Your body hurts, your mind is exhausted and yet you’ve got to drag yourself down to the gym to go through it all over again.

Also, if you train right, it should never really be easy or enjoyable. You should never feel as though you are winning in training. If you are training and sparring with the right people on a daily basis, you should grow accustomed to that feeling of turning up to the gym having had your butt whupped the day before. The key is to take those experiences and rebound and learn from them.

Ultimately, although bad days come and go, more often than not I am happy to be in the gym. I love the feeling of improving. There is no more satisfying feeling for a professional fighter.

This is, after all, where I want to be in my life right now. I live my life for this sport and have dedicated every ounce of energy, time and effort towards becoming a success as a mixed martial artist. I have put all of my eggs into one basket and I simply don’t have anything else to turn to. This is me. I didn’t finish college and go get a four-year degree like a lot of other people did. I didn’t set myself up with other options that I can then pursue if my fighting career didn’t work out. Instead, I did the opposite and quite college to dedicate myself to a dream I had of becoming a professional athlete. I had no idea whether it was going to work or whether I’d end up regretting my choice, but I felt it was just something that had to be done.

At some point we all have big decisions to make. We reach a crossroads in our lives and are forced to choose to either go left or right. I’m very much an all-or-nothing kind of guy, and there is no way I could multi-task or spread myself thin. If I am going to try my hand at something, I will do so to the fullest of my ability. If I chose to turn left and stick with school, I would have quit MMA on the spot and dedicated all my energy to getting the right qualifications and perhaps becoming a firefighter or personal trainer. It worked the same way when I headed right and chose mixed martial arts, too.

I dropped everything else in my life at that time to become a success in mixed martial arts. I didn’t want to look back on that decision and have any regrets, so I sacrificed relationships, friendships and family to make my way in this sport. My family live six hours away and it’s never easy to visit them while training. I also sacrificed vital commodities like money and a house on the way up. While most guys my age were trying to put foundations down and build for the future, I was taking a chance on a sport and profession that was still relatively new.

All in all, though, I am happy with the sacrifices I made and also the decision I made as a 19-year-old to leave college and take a punt on a dream I had. That is all it ever was. Nobody told me I was any good at mixed martial arts, and nobody ever complimented me on my athletic ability. Nobody saw it coming. I simply had a dream that one day I’d become an athlete and UFC world champion. This is now all I do and all I think about on a daily basis. Nothing else consumes my life like mixed martial arts does. The dream is now happening…

Hit me up on Twitter and Facebook @TheDomin8r

By Gareth Davies
Special to ESPN.com

Some fights merit greater attention than two men attempting to prove their physical and mental superiority in a combat arena. Victory there is sweet, but transient. Some fights are about life itself.

Just ask anyone from the projects of South Philadelphia.

Dominick Cruz, the UFC bantamweight champion, and Charlie Brenneman, a fast-rising welterweight contender, were chauffeured into Wilson Park Apartments Complex on Friday morning to sample life inside a different cage. They were preaching from the fight gospel, and the message was heard by some 150 teenagers.

There is a shooting in these local-authority housing projects every night. Unemployment is high, hopes are low. Salvation is some way off.

Where MMA at times can be treated like the scruffy cousin of the mainstream sports world, the kids on the block at Wilson Park can identify.

The wider picture to associate with the visit — which was didactic in the sense that it was to teach that you can be tough, healthy and wise — is that MMA needs to embed its role with communities, become what the boxing gym once was — a refuge to change and shape young people’s lives which had become twisted and entangled in negative society.

Inside a community room, a fitness center had been set up, and the kids got to work out with Cain Velasquez, Brock Lesnar and Georges St. Pierre on a flat screen. Fun, engaging and geared toward fitness, the workout was followed by a signing session.

Given their penchant for supporting the U.S. military and other charity projects, it makes sense to move the sport into communities which could benefit from it. Civic duties are a win-win, pure and simple.

It was self-evident that the likes of Cruz and Brenneman, who might not be the ideal role models for the kids who sat — pretty patiently — listening and asking questions, have the facility to engage with alacrity. Their effect on the real role models — the 16- and 17-year-old “senior” kids in the project — is what really counts from this visit.

The summer camp is run by the Boys and Girls Clubs of Philadelphia. Wilson Park is one of 11 units in the city of Philadelphia. The kids who come during the schools’ summer break are between 7 and 18 years old.

“These kids are economically distressed, in any and every way you can think of,” said Harold Reed, director of the Wilson Park Summer Camp.

Harold, a tall, bright-faced optimist originally from Hawaii, admitted that when he started the camps, he routinely lost his wallet and his phone. Four years on, and he can put a wedge of 20 dollar bills on his desk in his office without nailing them to the table with a claw hammer.

“Sport is a way of teaching young people life skills. The right tools for caring, honesty, trustworthiness — and perhaps most importantly for these kids — fairness. Fairness because a lot of these young people don’t think that life is fair. We’re strict with them. We have to be — there is a lack of education, lack of jobs … it’s a vicious circle in this community. A lot of these children have good parents, but often those parents can’t do that much to help the children.”

Cruz and Brenneman advocated a balance between sports and studies.

“School and sport, make sure you do them both … develop a focus,” said Cruz. Brenneman disclosed he had been a Spanish teacher in high school before opening the floor to questions.

These kids were bright and engaging, but in their body language, you could see they were fighters — off duty, that is.

“Can you kick people’s teeth out?”

“Why did you stop teaching Spanish, what do the kids do now?”

“Do you get afraid being a fighter?”

“How do you compare to Captain America?” Plenty of hilarity.

Reed invited retired nine-time NBA All-Star Dominique Wilkins to the Wilson Park project some time ago. He was a huge hit with the kids, but so too were the fighters. They speak the same language. One of the juniors, Darick Plummer, 11, admits his first love is basketball, but he was impressed with the two UFC fighters. “I thought they’d be mean … but they were cool.”

When the fighters packed up and went home, the older kids had to sustain their mission. You could see there was a respect for the two UFC fighters from the older kids, who will spread the same word in their communities.

“The kids were impressed. You could see that. The fighters presented themselves very well,” said Reed.

“It has taken four years to create a culture here, and some of the teens here would be dead now if we weren’t doing this. Some of them carry guns to protect themselves. There are warring factions here. This is a sanctuary from those gangs. They cease to be that. Stern but fair … ”

After our time spent in the inner-city projects, in a cab headed toward downtown Philadelphia, Cruz discussed how the visit made him reflect on his own life path. In Tucson, Ariz., he had grown up on the divide, dancing between “the good” and “the bad” sides of town. There are those who have no choice. He’d seen some of them at Wilson Park.

“The greatest lesson in life is realizing that whoever you are fighting, whoever you are up against, the greatest battle is with yourself,” Cruz said. “I hope some of the kids in the Wilson Park project get to see that themselves.”

We made our excuses and left. But MMA just made a new bunch of friends.

Our boy Travis Browne has a huge fight coming up on September, 24th. You CANNOT miss UFC 135. While he’s been in training camp in New Mexico, we’ve been working on his new walk-out tee featuring a huge tribute to his home state, Hawaii. Quantities are limited on this one so be sure to pick one up before the fight.

Dominick’s fight is coming up October 1st, so grab that one too. His showdown with Dimitrius Johnson goes down on the Versus network so you can catch it for free.

Click here to see the walk-out tees!

Dominick Cruz is a nice guy. He’s friendly at autograph signings, shakes hands, smiles for pictures and does that whole deal.

But that’s with fans, not opponents.

The UFC bantamweight champion is kind, respectful, and all that, but when it comes to guys he’s destined to meet in the Octagon, it’s a different game. When standing across from Cruz, it’s best that opponents prepare for someone who is ready to put it all on the line in order to become the victor.

Nothing is too far when it comes to the extent of where Cruz will go, apparently. In fact, the champ says he’s there to kill.

It doesn’t matter who it is, Cruz fights to the death.

“I don’t go out of my way to be super nice it’s fight time,” Cruz told MMAWeekly Radio Weekend Edition. “When it’s fight time, I’m in there to kill you. I don’t care how nice I’ve talked about you, I don’t care how respectful I am; when it’s time to fight, I’m going to kill you.”

Next on Cruz’s murderous mission is none other than “Mighty Mouse” Demetrious Johnson. The two are scheduled to meet at UFC on Versus 6 in Washington D.C., and Cruz already sees how he plans on winning this one. According to the 135-pound champ, he’s going to do the same thing to “Mighty Mouse” that he’s done to everyone else and force the fighter to adjust his approach.

While Johnson is arguably one of the quickest fighters ever to compete in the UFC, Cruz doesn’t think the fighter out of Washington State has faced anyone quite like the champ.

Quickness versus quickness, Cruz sees himself having good chances on Oct. 1.

“I see myself going in there and doing what I’ve been doing, and that’s forcing people to adjust,” he said. “Something that he’s been able to do is out-quick everybody. And the thing is, I still don’t think that he’s fought anybody quite as quick as myself.”

The champ is confident, from the sounds of it, and with good reason. He’s beaten everybody he’s faced and done so with a unique style that’s hard for the opposition to figure out. Against Johnson, he sees his reach being a strong advantage and looks to control anything and everything the challenger has to offer.

Nullification of Johnson’s strengths will play the theme that night in Washington D.C., and Cruz feels he’ll have no problem doing that. Actually, Cruz sees himself doing what he wants with the pace of the fight.

“I know how to use my range and he has a very long distance to close in order to use any of his grappling skills, which is something that I’ve been able to nullify from everybody that I’ve fought,” he said.

“I can have this fight wherever I want it.”

Cruz’s confidence stems from his success. While other professional athletes are out partying the night away, Cruz focuses more of his time in the gym, getting better and sharpening his tools.

The rock-star lifestyle hasn’t been as attractive as the gold belt or achieving the goals he’s laid out for himself. The champ, regardless of being the top 135-pound fighter in the UFC, still has some things he’d like to prove to the world of mixed martial arts.

He wants to be recognized as the best of the best… period.

“The reason why I’m not big into the whole partying and living the rock-star life, for lack of a better term, is because I’d rather train,” he said. “I have goals set. I have things that I’m trying to do.

“I still definitely do feel that I have something to prove to myself and people all over the world. It’s not going to stop. I still live that way because that’s how I choose to live.

“I want to be pound-for-pound the best fighter on the planet one of these days.”

Follow @Erik_Fontanez on Twitter or e-mail Erik Fontanez.

Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber at UFC 132 is a FINALIST for Fight of the Year! Click here to Cast your VOTES NOW!

Dominick Cruz is a FINALIST for the Fighter of the Year! Click here to Cast your VOTES NOW!

2011 World MMA Awards: Dominick Cruz, Phil Davis, Alexander Gustafsson, Eric Del Fierro & Alliance MMA were are all nominated! Cast your votes here!
COACH OF THE YEAR

• Eric Del Fierro
• Shawn Tompkins
• Rafael Cordeiro
• Cesar Gracie
• Greg Jackson

GYM OF THE YEAR

• Alliance MMA
• Black House
• Jackson’s MMA
• Roufusport
• Xtreme Couture

CHARLES “MASK” LEWIS FIGHTER OF THE YEAR

• Dominick Cruz
• Nick Diaz
• Dan Henderson
• Jon Jones
• Anderson Silva

BREAKTHROUGH FIGHTER OF THE YEAR

• Phil Davis
• Donald Cerrone
• Daniel Cormier
• Demetrious Johnson
• Brian Stann

FIGHT OF THE YEAR

• Dominick Cruz vs. Urijah Faber at UFC 132
• Jose Aldo vs. Mark Hominick at UFC 129
• Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard at UFC 125
• Nick Diaz vs. Paul Daley at “Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley”
• Diego Sanchez vs. Martin Kampmann at UFC Live 3

BEST TECHNICAL CLOTHING

• Bad Boy
• Hayabusa
• Jaco
• Sprawl
• Venum

INTERNATIONAL FIGHTER OF THE YEAR

• Alexander Gustafsson
• Michael Bisping
• Joachim Hansen
• Alistair Overeem
• Dennis Siver

When bantamweight titleholder Dominick “The Dominator” Cruz leads the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s first foray into the nation’s capital this fall, he expects no problems keeping up with his opponent’s rapid movement.

“I’m quick too,” says Cruz, slated to face one of MMA’s fastest fighters, Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson, on Oct. 1 in Washington, D.C. “How does he deal with my speed? Speed for speed, I don’t see a lot of difference with me and Demetrious.”

The 135-pound title fight will air on Versus, making it UFC’s first championship bout on basic cable in more than four years and giving Cruz potentially a much bigger audience than he had for his previous bout, a pay-per-view headliner with Urijah Faber at UFC 132 on July 2.

USA TODAY chatted with Cruz on Tuesday about the upcoming fight as he visited an Arlington, Va. gym associated with his jiu-jitsu instructor, Lloyd Irvin. Excerpts from the conversation:

Q: All your title defenses until now have been against fighters with a connection to Team Alpha Male. How refreshing is it to face someone without that link or history of antagonism with you?

Cruz: Yeah, you’re exactly right. No history of antagonism. No Team Alpha Male. It’s cool just because not only is it a different style — because those Team Alpha Male guys kind of all have the same style — but it’s a different opponent; a different puzzle to solve, a different mentality. He’s very respectful.

Is it better or worse for you not to have bad blood of some sort in a fight?

It doesn’t matter to me either way. It’s kind of nice not to have bad blood in a sense, just because there’s respect between the two of us. We can be in the same room and not want to choke each other necessarily.

We both want to win. We’re both going to beat the crap out of each other, but respect each other. Either way, I’m going to go out there and collect the W.

Your title defenses keep going 25 minutes. What is it about your challengers that makes them so hard to finish?

They move, man. These guys are quick. They’re quick defensively, so they move their feet so much when you’re being offensive towards them.

And on top of that, they’re tough. Everybody’s tough. Everybody’s got a good chin.

Everybody’s got a really good wrestling base. They’re very squirmy. They don’t accept takedowns and just lay on their back.

All those qualities you describe seem to apply to Demetrious also. How would you compare him to, say, Joseph Benavidez, with whom a lot of people see similarities.

I see huge similarities between the two of them. I think the biggest difference between DJ and Benavidez is timing. I think DJ has a little bit better timing on his takedowns. He knows when to shoot and he has better transitions to takedowns.

On top of that, I think he’s got better footwork offensively and defensively both than the past guys I’ve fought. The past guys I’ve fought have very good footwork defensively, but not as good footwork offensively. He’s got both.

How does those differences affect what you do?

People with good offensive footwork, you’ve got to fight a little bit differently. There’s a game plan to it, which I’m not going to go ahead and put out there; it wouldn’t make sense.

It’s about adapting. Bruce Lee said adapt and be unpredictable, and that’s what I try to do every fight.

Demetrious says that with the fights in your current winning streak, if you take out each opponent and just watch you, each bout looks almost the same. Would you say that’s a fair assessment?

I disagree. If you watch my fight against Charlie Valencia and you watch my fights as they progress from there on, you can absolutely see an evolution in my game.

I don’t think he’s saying that there hasn’t been an improvement, but that the style and the approach is essentially the same.

Well, of course. Why am I going to change my style necessarily if I don’t need to? I’m going out there and I’m trying to finish every fight.

There’s been an evolution. I add pieces to my stand-up. I add pieces to my ground game to give people problems. There’s always a little tricky thing here or there that I add into every fight.

How do you deal with Demetrious’ speed?

I’m quick too. How does he deal with my speed? Speed for speed, I don’t see a lot of difference with me and Demetrious.

Sometimes it seems there are moments when your opponents are almost hypnotized by watching you. Why do you think that happens?

I don’t really see it that way. I think that I’m being unpredictable. They’re not hypnotized by anything. They’re trying to figure things out. They’re trying to figure out what I’m going to throw next. They’re trying to figure out where I’m going to move next.

That’s the idea: Make you think so that I can land what I want to land and do what I want to do.

Your last fight was a pay-per-view headliner. Does it bother you at all to go back to free TV?

No, it doesn’t bother me at all. The UFC knows exactly what they’re doing. They put me on a free TV card and I’m perfectly fine with that. It doesn’t change what I’m going to do at all.

How much of a difference does it make financially?

It doesn’t. UFC takes care of me, no matter what.

This will be UFC’s debut within Washington, D.C. itself. You train with Lloyd Irvin. Do you get out to this area often?

I do. I come out to train with Team Lloyd Irvin as often as I can. I’ll do two-, three-week camps at a time with my grappling. I come out here whenever I can.

How does it help with your preparation for this fight?

I’m doing so much PR right now for this fight that having Lloyd Irvin out here to help trolley me around — and I’ve got training partners; I’ve got people to help me keep things in check — it’s a big help and a big difference, no doubt.

Do you enjoy that aspect of the job, the PR and all that, or is something you just tolerate?

It’s something you tolerate.

It’s not that I dislike it. It’s that I have a hard time doing it during camp, because it’s so much that goes into training. I’ve got a full-time job doing PR and I have a full-time job training.

It’s something that you have to learn accept and learn to deal with. I accept the challenge and I’m looking forward to more of it to come.

Dominick Cruz will make his fourth title defense at UFC on Versus 6, October 1st at the Verizon Center in Washington D.C. against Demetrious Johnson

Dominick Cruz’s bantamweight belt is again under threat.

Rather than setting up a rematch with Urijah Faber, as urged by a section of the fans, the promotion is pitting the champion against Demetrious Johnson on October 1 – a beloved date for Jiu-Jitsu fans, being the birthday of the late Grandmaster Helio Gracie.

For the title defense Cruz (19w, 1l) has been working on his Jiu-Jitsu at Lloyd Irvin’s academy. “I feel I’m getting better at Jiu-Jitsu with every day. It’s an extremely important art in MMA,” remarked Dominick.

Demetrious (10w, 1l) has won five of his past outings by submission and is coming off a win over famed Carlson Gracie disciple Miguel Torres. The fight is on the card for UFC on Versus 6, in Washington DC.

UFC On Versus 6
Washington DC, USA
October 1, 2011

Dominick Cruz vs. Demetrious Johnson
Stefan Struve vs. Pat Barry
Charlie Brenneman vs. Anthony Johnson
Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig
Paul Sass vs. Michael Johnson
Mike Easton vs. Jeff Hougland
Yves Edwards vs. Rafaello Oliveira
TJ Grant vs Shane Roller

Article by: GracieMag.com