Former UFC champion Dominick Cruz announces retirement after latest injury

Dominick Cruz is calling it a career.

After an injury forced him out of UFC Fight Night 252, Cruz (24-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) announced his retirement Thursday in a lengthy, heartfelt post on social media.

“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,” Cruz wrote. “But sometimes, the body just doesn’t cooperate.

Cruz, 39, had not competed since August 2022 when he took a Feb. 22 bout vs. Rob Font, which he indicated would be his final bout.

Despite his legendary and likely sure-thing Hall of Famer status, Cruz only competed 10 times for the UFC. Cruz’s dominance in the bantamweight division preceded his UFC run. He was imported with the weight class into the UFC after winning WEC gold and defending the title twice.

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The inaugural UFC bantamweight champion, Cruz defended his title successfully against Urijah Faber and Demetrious Johnson before he was forced to vacate due to a groin tear. Later that year, he tore his ACL. It was the second time he sustained that injury.

Three years after the Johnson win and after multiple surgeries, Cruz returned and starched Takeya Mizugaki in 61 seconds. In January 2016, he won the title for the second time when he defeated T.J. Dillashaw by split decision.

Cruz defeated Faber again before he eventually lost the title to Cody Garbrandt. After nearly four years off from competition, Cruz returned to challenge Henry Cejudo for the title in 2020. Cejudo won by TKO, despite Cruz’s protest of referee Keith Peterson’s stoppage.

After back-to-back wins over Casey Kenney and Pedro Munhoz, Cruz was knocked out by a Marlon Vera head kick. The fight would end up being his final one.

This news first appeared on MMA Junkie. Read the original article.