Dominick Cruz will undoubtedly go down as one of MMA’s greatest ‘what-ifs’—a testament to his legacy despite being one of the most accomplished bantamweights in history. With a career plagued with injuries, the former bantamweight champion never really got a smooth and consistent run in the UFC. Since first fighting in the UFC in 2011 and by the time his bout with Rob Font got canceled, ‘The Dominator’ sadly has had 4 major layoffs over 300 days. This sums up to around 3715 days being inactive! In other words, Dominick Cruz has been on the sidelines for a total of 10 years, 2 months, and 1 day since he joined Dana White’s Magnum opus.

However, ‘The Dominator’ still revolutionized the 135-pound division with his elusive footwork, high fight IQ, and no-nonsense trash talk, making him one of the most unforgettable figures in the sport. Now, as his time inside the Octagon comes to a close, Cruz has seamlessly transitioned into an elite commentator, offering the same sharp analysis that once made him a nightmare for opponents.

He had hoped to bid farewell with one final fight this weekend at UFC Fight Night 252 in Seattle, but fate had other plans. As ironic as it sounds, an unfortunate shoulder injury ruled him out of the fight, which prompted the 39-year-old to call it a career. “I gave everything I had and put it into preparation and training for this fight… But sometimes, the body just doesn’t cooperate,” ‘The Dominator’ stated in a retirement tweet. While his end to the UFC career might have been a bit unceremonious, Cruz has his fair share of positives in his 28-fight professional MMA career. Since the legendary veteran has hung up his gloves, let’s reminisce about the greatest UFC moments of his career!

1. Dominick Cruz’s first-ever UFC championship defense at UFC 132

For any great fighter in the UFC, the first taste of gold is always the sweetest one. Before the MMA juggernaut made waves on network television, it was World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) where some of the most legendary fighters in the lower weight classes made their mark. The promotion was ultimately acquired by Dana White & Co. in 2006. Just four years later, Dominick Cruz realized his dream when he won the WEC bantamweight gold in March of 2010.

In December 2010, ‘The Dominator’ slayed Scott Jorgensen at WEC 53 to clinch the inaugural UFC 135lbs title after the promotion officially merged with the UFC. This essentially made him the last WEC 135lbs champ as well. He put that title up for grabs against the legendary and arch-rival Urijah Faber at UFC 132 in his first defense of the belt.

The second bout out of their trilogy against ‘The Californian Kid’ was a monumental one where Cruz would go on to defeat Faber, avenging his only loss during that time in his career which came in 2007 for the WEC 135lbs strap. This achievement already solidified Cruz’s name in the promotion’s history, but what comes next is probably that earned him a lot more fans.

2. Triumphant return at UFC Fight Night 81

Dominick Cruz’s problems with his shoulder aren’t a novel issue because he went on a long hiatus because of it in the past. After beating 125lbs GOAT Demetrious Johnson to defend his title successfully, ‘The Dominator’ vacated the bantamweight belt in January 2014 after almost a 3-year hiatus of trying to make his return. Well, Curz did return at UFC 178 the very same year and earned a TKO win against Takeya Mizugaki but then again, he suffered an injury on his knees that sidelined him for 16 months.

Was that the end of ‘The Dominator’? Well, it wasn’t as Cruz would make another triumphant and miraculous return in a rivalry with T.J. Dillashaw that culminated at UFC Fight Night 81. The buildup to that fight was what kept fans glued to their screens, as Cruz would verbally destroy his opponent every chance he got. Everything worked out for the ‘The Dominator’ as he went on to secure a hard-fought split-decision victory to win the bantamweight title for a second time.

3. Dominick Cruz outclasses a 135lbs version of Demetrious Johnson

Fans may know Demetrious Johnson as the technical master who ruled the UFC’s flyweight division for years, but some may not be aware that he actually started off as a bantamweight contender. After racking up a 7-1 record in MMA, ‘Mighty Mouse’ lost his first-ever title fight to Dominick Cruz via a unanimous decision at UFC on Versus 6 in 2011, which was also his first loss in the UFC.

That defeat would spend the end of Johnson’s bantamweight career and he’d embark on a flyweight run that would see him dominate the division for almost the next five years with a record 11 title defenses of the flyweight belt. Meanwhile, Cruz would etch his name in history as the first UFC fighter to beat ‘Mighty Mouse’ by outclassing him and adding more weight to his resume. However, one of his greatest performances came way later in his UFC career.

4. ‘The Dominator’ shows grit against Pedro Munhoz

At the turn of this decade, Dominick Cruz was struggling a bit to find consistency, with fans wondering if he’s credible as a top contender anymore. When he stepped inside the Octagon against fellow veteran Pedro Munhoz at UFC 269, ‘The Dominator’ found himself in a tricky situation when he got dropped by Munhoz pretty early. But Cruz’s technical excellence would come into play and weigh heavily on his counterpart.

Cruz would register a thrilling decision victory, proving his credibility and even setting a record. That win, which was his last in the UFC, saw his tally rise to 7 inside the Octagon.

5. The end of Cruz’s trilogy with Urijah Faber

Urijah Faber has been one of Dominick Cruz’s most notable rivals. He gave him his first loss while ‘The Dominator’ got his revenge in the second outing. It all came down to their final clash in 2016 at UFC 199, and this time, Cruz cemented his status as the better man between him and his Faber, who failed to become the UFC bantamweight champion at least once in his career.

Cruz showed great movement and precise striking that had the judges in his favor, helping him clinch a unanimous decision victory. All these accolades make a strong case for his admission into the UFC’s Hall of Famer, given that he’s one of the best fighters to compete in a lower weight class.

Well, these are just some of Dominick Cruz’s big moments, so let us know yours in the comments down below!