Dominick Cruz retires after latest injury setback
Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz announced his retirement from mixed martial arts Thursday after dropping out of his upcoming bout against Rob Font due to injury.
"To the fans worldwide, I have poured every ounce of myself into this sport for the last 25 years," Cruz said in a statement posted on X. "I was really hopeful for one final fight but unfortunately, two shoulder dislocations in eight months calls (for) an end to this guy's career."
Cruz (24-4) hasn't competed since suffering a knockout loss to Marlon Vera in 2022. The 39-year-old was supposed to fight Font in the co-main event at UFC Seattle on Feb. 22 but withdrew due to injuries during training.
A two-time champion in the 135-pound division, Cruz built a Hall of Fame resume over his illustrious career. Among his various accolades, the San Diego native was the UFC's inaugural bantamweight champion after capturing the title under the WEC.
But injuries marred Cruz's career. He sustained three torn ACLs and a quad tear after successfully defending his title against Demetrious Johnson in 2011. The numerous ailments allowed him to fight just once between 2011 and 2016. Shoulder injuries were also an issue in the latter stages of Cruz's career.
"The Dominator" was able to capture the bantamweight title for a second time after earning a split-decision win over T.J. Dillashaw in 2016. Cruz successfully defended his belt against challengers such as Urijah Faber and Johnson before injures limited his activity for the remainder of his career.
Cruz has already transitioned from being inside the Octagon to the broadcast table as one of the UFC's broadcast analysts.