Dominick Cruz demolishes Mizugaki and earns shot at Bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw to regain his former title

He’s back!!!! Former WEC and UFC champion Dominick Cruz wasted no time in showing why he was considered one of the best P4P fighters in the UFC before a string of injuries caused him to be out of action for close to three years and be stripped of his UFC bantamweight title.

Cruz showed no rust in demolishing Takeya Mizugaki in the very first round of action. “The Dominator” would take down Mizugaki and then unleash a barrage of punches on his opponent that would prompt the referee to stop the bout at 1:01 of the first round. After the fight, Cruz would comment on his return to the cage and remark that he never doubted that would return to the big stage. “I’m young enough, I always knew I would be back.” Bantamweights beware, Dominick Cruz is back and ready to reclaim his title.

During the post-fight press conference, Dana would inform that press at hand, that Cruz would be next up to face current bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw and get the opportunity to regain his former title.

Cruz would comment on the title shot and the division: “I think I matchup great with anyone in the division. I have nothing, but respect for everyone in the division, but I never really lost my title. I got hurt, and I haven’t been sitting around eating, getting fat and doing nothing. I’ve been working, analyzing the fights, breaking them down. Learning about everyone in the division, learning their style. Seeing people take bits and pieces of things that I talked about and making it their own. And I’m watching people evolve, watching people get better, and I’m with them. I haven’t been just sitting around. I’m ready to go out there and have that belt. I never lost it, it should have never gone to anyone else’s hands but I was hurt, it was my own doing, but I just want to go prove that I am still here.”

Dominick Cruz at UFC178 post fight presser