Dominick Cruz discussed what a matchup against fellow bantamweight great Merab Dvalishvili would have looked like.
Former WEC and UFC champion Cruz (24-4 MMA, 7-3 UFC) was widely considered the greatest bantamweight of all time until Dvalishvili (21-5 MMA, 14-3 UFC) entered the conversation. Dvalishvili tied the record for most UFC bantamweight title defenses at three, before losing his belt to Petr Yan at UFC 323.
Advertisement
Cruz was asked how he would have matched up against Dvalishvili’s relentless pace and grappling.
“I always liked that fight,” Cruz said on the “Death Row MMA” podcast. “I’m still a fan and stuff, and since I’m not fighting, it’s weird. I don’t want to sound like I’m talking trash or nothing, but I wanted to fight his style. I was trying to make that matchup coming up the ladder before I retired because I believe I match up really good with Merab, his style.
“You stuff the takedowns, and everything about my style is built to beat the way he fights: Stuff the takedowns, hit angles, hit combinations, use cardio as a weapon, and just out-slick, out-maneuver, and out-smooth somebody. That’s what I like to do. He fights a lot like (Team) Alpha Male’s crew.”
Cruz’s career was riddled with injuries, but he managed to overcome adversity numerous times to become a two-time UFC bantamweight champion. He is credited for putting the lower weight classes on the map prior to the UFC introducing the 135-pound division. Cruz will be inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame later this year.
This article originally appeared on MMA Junkie: Prime Dominick Cruz liked his chances vs. Merab Dvalishvili
