UFC Fight Night: Dillashaw vs. Cruz recap and exclusive post-fight quotes

UFC Fight Night: Dillashaw vs. Cruz took place tonight – Sunday, January 17th, 2016 – at the TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. Featuring thirteen high-level fights broadcast on FS1, the entire card exceeded already-lofty expectations and delivered a historic victory in the Main Event.

UFC Fight Pass Early Prelims

Elvis Mutapčić vs. Francimar Barroso – Barroso via UD
Rob Font vs. Joey Gomez – Font via 2nd Round TKO
Kyle Bochniak vs. Charles Rosa – Rosa via UD
Sean O’Connell vs. Ilir Latino – Latino via 1st Round KO
Daron Cruickshank vs. Paul Felder – Felder via 3rd Round Sub

FS1 Prelims

Luke Sanders vs. Maximo Blanco – Sanders via 1st Round Sub
Mehdi Baghdad vs. Chris Wade – Wade via 1st Round Sub
Ed Herman vs. Tim Boetsch – Herman via 2nd Round TKO
Ben Saunders vs. Patrick Côté – Côté via 2nd Round TKO

FS1 Main Card

Ross Pearson vs. Francisco Trinaldo – Trinaldo via UD
Matt Mitrione vs. Travis Browne – Browne via 3rd Round TKO
Eddie Alvarez vs. Anthony Pettis – Alvarez via SD
Dominick Cruz vs. (C) T.J. Dillashaw – Cruz via SD

Ross Pearson vs. Francisco Trinaldo

Despite crisp boxing and big heart from Pearson in front of a pro-Pearson crowd, “Massaranduba” earned the Unanimous Decision with power and accuracy.

Matt Mitrione vs. Travis Browne

A thinned-out Browne earned a 3rd-Round TKO over Mitrione in a Heavyweight match-up marred by two early Browne eye-pokes in the 1st and 2nd Rounds. After chants for Eddie Alvarez broke out in the 2nd and 3rd Rounds, “Hapa” ended the fight with a full-mount ground-and-pound.

Edward Alvarez vs. Anthony Pettis

As chants for “Eddie” resumed, Alvarez earned a quick takedown against the cage in the 1st Round, and proceeded to control Pettis for the majority of the fight. Pettis had success with distance and body-kicks but no answer for the wrestling and blue-collar approach taken by Alvarez.

Perhaps sensing his fighter had lost, Israel Martinez – Head Wrestling Coach for Pettis – entered the ring immediately upon the 3rd-Round bell and berated referee Kevin MacDonald for failing to penalize two cage-grabs by Alvarez.

Dominick Cruz vs. (C) T.J. Dillashaw

With the Boston crowd booing Dillashaw from Saturday’s weigh-in’s all the way to Sunday’s pre-fight introductions, Dillashaw refused to touch gloves with Cruz before the two Bantamweights went to battle.

The pro-Cruz crowd immediately broke out in chants of “Let’s go, Cruz!” and continued throughout the round. As the fight progressed, Cruz seemed to have no trouble with takedowns while Dillashaw failed to throw more leg kicks, seemingly available and effective when thrown.

Dillashaw appeared winded and frustrated, while Cruz apparently (re)injured his foot before the 5th Round. As the bell sounded, both fighters embraced and exchanged respect, the appropriate response after such a contentious Fight Nightbuildup.

EXCLUSIVE POST-FIGHT QUOTES

Rob Font On Potential:

“I feel like I can hang with all the guys in the division. Obviously I want to catch my wave, be smart and strategically and all that. But I feel like I can hang with all these guys.”

Dominick Cruz On Level Of Perseverance:

“It took a lot of perseverance. I just… To be honest, there’s no level for it. I’ve said this before: when it rains, it pours. Everybody in this world has felt that before, right? It feels like you’re having a bad day, and then you spill coffee on your shirt. And then your tire goes flat. And then you step out and stub your toe on the curb. It’s like everything seems to stack up.

That’s kind of how I felt this time. So when it rains, it pours: you’ve got to put a big, heavy coat on; put one foot in front of the other – and when the rain stops, everything starts growing. The flowers; the grass. Right here: I’m standing in the flowers; I’m standing in the grass. It’s a nice feeling.

It’s going to rain again – it’s a matter of time. So it’s just a matter of getting through each rainy season, putting one foot in front of the other. Keeping your head high, trying to stay positive when you’re going through it. And then getting through it and being happy that you did. And evolve from it instead of putting your head down through it.”

Rob Font On Training And Fighting In Boston:

“I started here in January 2009; linked up with Kru Mark (DellaGrotte). Got with (Coach) Eddie Alvarez around 2012 – been working with him ever since. They have a lot of knowledge, they know all the boxers. It’s awesome. I get nothing but top-notch training partners out here, and great knowledge all-around.”