The Ultimate Fight Night 81 main event featured a bantamweight title fight between champion TJ Dillashaw and Dominick Cruz, a former champion who never lost his title in the Octagon.
Through all the heartache, all the setbacks, all the disappointments, Dominick Cruz never stopped believing in himself.
The San Diego native never lost his UFC bantamweight champion in the cage and had never even been defeated at 135 pounds.
But when everyone else wrote him off, through injuries to both knees and a groin tear, Cruz never gave up hope.
And that self-belief paid off in spades on Sunday night in Boston, as he returned from his latest absence and engaged T.J. Dillashaw in a magnificent battle in the main event of UFC Fight Night 81.
After 25 minuntes of fast-paced warfare, Cruz got the nod from two out of three judges for a split decision victory at Boston’s TD Garden. The judges’ scores were 48-47, 46-49, and 49-46 in favor of Cruz (21-1), who regained the title he was stripped of two years ago.
source: mmafighting.com
Official Result: Dominick Cruz defeated TJ Dillashaw by Split Decision (49-48, 46-49, 49-46)
About TJ Dillshaw
Few UFC championship fights have been as stirring – or as surprising – as TJ Dillshaw’s victory over Renan Barao for the bantamweight title in May 2014.
Dillashaw was a considerable underdog with a 10-2 professional record when he faced Barao, arguably the greatest bantamweight in MMA history, at UFC 173 in Las Vegas. Barao brought in a 34-1 record, was on a 22-fight win streak and hadn’t lost in nine years.
But Dillashaw pulled off a stunning upset, using quick hands and exceptional footwork to dominate Barao from the start before finishing him with a fifth-round TKO.
All you have to do is believe, baby! Dillashaw said in the Octagon. Believe you’re the best in the world and you’ll get here!
Dillashaw’s rise through the ranks wasn’t exactly meteoric, but he progressed quickly after turning pro in 2010.
source: ufc.com
About Dominick Cruz
• First ever UFC bantamweight champion
• Unbeaten at 135 pounds (10-0)
• 7-1 in WEC career
• Owner of a distinct standup style that has proven almost impossible to decipher
• Lone pro loss came in WEC featherweight title bout against Urijah Faber
• Pro since 2005
• Six wins by KO, one by submission
• Was sidelined due to injury since October of 2011
• Was stripped of title in 2014 due to injury; never lost title in the Octagon
source: ufc.com
