I feel like I'm in the prime of my life as far as conditioning and strength and everything else goes. 'I'm smaller and faster and at my more natural competition weight. There is clearly much at stake for both fighters, who are both very different skill- and experience-wise this time around. Lastly, it marks the Octagon debut for Cruz, a former WEC champion who carried his title over when the promotions merged last year. Third, it's the featured fight of the night on a major UFC pay-per-view (PPV) card. Make no mistake, this fight is a big deal.įirst, it's a heated rematch that has been simmering for years. 'Once I get in there, it's not a big deal.' 'I'm not real fond of Faber, but at the same time, once I get in a fight, I fight just as hard against someone I don't like as when I'm fighting someone I don't have a problem with,' he said. So I think it makes it easier.'įor his part, Cruz takes a much more cautious approach, saying that he does a 'pretty good job' of not making his fights emotional. In a situation, if I were to fight, it would be because I didn't like somebody. 'I've never really been an emotional fighter, but that's because I usually feel kind of indifferent or I like the guy I'm fighting. And now, the relative newcomer to the bantamweight division, intends to use that incident and others to fuel his fire on Independence Day weekend. It was, for Faber, a major sign of disrespect. In one such instance, Cruz allegedly signed his autograph numerous times over Faber's image on posters intended for fans. That did little to squash their beef - the champions still had to make awkward appearances together on the promotional circuit. Cruz eventually dropped 10 pounds and won a 135-pound division title. The genesis for their mutual animosity dates back to 2007, when Faber submitted Cruz with a guillotine choke less than two minutes into their 145-pound fight. You see, 'Dominator' and 'The California Kid' don't get along so well outside the cage. That's the reason the UFC 132 main event between bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz and number one division contender, Urijah Faber, has all the ingredients to blow the roof off the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 2, 2011. There is more at stake than just a paycheck, another victory or even a belt.

And one that might take a few fringe folks off guard, those who are expecting to see the 'anything goes' brand of 'human cockfighting' that doesn't exists at the professional level.Įven though we marvel at the sportsmanship, two grown men embracing after 15 minutes of back-and-forth combat, there is something to be said for a fight between two sworn enemies. It's a classy sign of respect for an opponent that is often replayed ad nauseum event after event. On the contrary, we are often subject to post-fight hugs and high-fives more often than not, regardless of whatever is said in the pre-fight promotion. However, one would imagine that this combat sport would have more of them. History, pride and often times bad blood, on both sides, all collide at once, sparking emotions and adrenaline that result in memorable moments that stand the test of time. Rivalries, in any sport, can turn normal games into spectacular events.

Dominick cruz vs