Sidelined by injury, Cruz aims to return by the end of the year and regain the UFC title

D. Cruz (photo) was the first UFC bantamweight champion, after the end of the extinct WEC. Photo: Josh Hedges/UFC

Next Saturday (25), Renan Barao e TJ Dillashaw will climb into the octagon to decide who will emerge as UFC bantamweight champion. Those who will watch this fight very closely are Dominick Cruz, who hopes to be able to return to action this year and, who knows, compete for the title again.

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Cruz was champion of the category until the beginning of 2014, when he was stripped of his title due to a long period of inactivity. The American defended the belt twice, against Urijah faber e Demetrious Johnson, but ended up being away from fighting for more than three years due to injury.

Thus, Cruz hopes to win the title again and prove to the world that he is still the best athlete in the 61 kg division. “My goal is to return at the end of the year. That's my goal. I've already lost the title, I've already been removed from the rankings. Everything I ever achieved was taken from me. I want to get to this next fight very healthy, and I want to fight for the title. It doesn't matter who has it. I believe I am the best in the world. I don't think I ever lost that position. The only thing we are waiting for is for me to come back and conquer everything again”, said Cruz, in an interview with the “Inside MMA” program, on North American television.

Cruz didn't fight between October 2011 and September 2014, when he was finally able to return to the UFC. On that occasion, the fighter quickly defeated Takeya Mizugaki, in the first round. After that, Cruz was confirmed as Dillashaw's challenger, but ended up suffering another injury.

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