After constructing one of the crucial intense rivalries in UFC historical past, Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber are trying again on their iconic feud.
Formally saying his retirement from blended martial arts in 2025, Cruz launched a brand-new podcast referred to as Love & Battle.
On the inaugural episode, ‘The Dominator’ welcomed Faber, utilizing the previous WEC champion’s look on the present as a chance not solely to bury the hatchet, however to credit score ‘The California Child’ with serving to to advance Cruz’s personal profession.
“Whether or not I wished to do, admit it or not, you had been just about the rocket ship for my profession early on,” Cruz advised Faber. “The loss actually… I recognize that. It lit a hearth beneath my ass dropping to you. And so it’s solely honest, you already know, possibly we get you on the primary podcast and right here we’re opening up with you.
“Yeah, we’re profitable. We’re profitable collectively now, which is wild. It’s a win-win. And that’s one thing I’ve been actually centered on at this stage in my life now could be how as a substitute of constructing it like incorrect and proper, as a substitute of simply at all times attempting to win, win-win, how do I create a win-win for the individuals round me? And that’s one thing that’s actually essential to me. And that’s the place the love facet of this entire factor comes from.”
Dominick Cruz beat Faber in Again-to-back bouts
Cruz and Faber first crossed paths beneath the WEC banner all the best way again in 2007. On that evening, Faber entered the bout because the WEC’s reigning featherweight champion whereas Cruz was an unbeaten 9-0.
Faber went on to submit Cruz simply 98 seconds into the opening spherical.
The dangerous blood between the 2 got here to a boiling level three years later when Cruz dropped all the way down to bantamweight, changing into the first-ever 135-pound UFC champion due to the promotion’s merger with the WEC. Shortly after, Faber adopted Cruz down a weight class, setting the stage for a heated rematch at UFC 132.
This time, Cruz would get his revenge, defeating Faber through unanimous resolution within the first-ever UFC bantamweight title battle.
They lastly accomplished their trilogy in 2016 when Cruz delivered a repeat efficiency, besting Faber on the scorecards at UFC 199.
