Understandably, he received some great tributes to his career from the MMA world but during a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, he said that one message caught him off guard. Cruz’s proudest and most gratifying achievement was when he returned to the Octagon in 2016 and proved that ring rust wasn’t a universal rule.

Fortunately for Cejudo, the former two-division champion wasn't scheduled to face Cruz at UFC Seattle and will instead meet Song Yadong in the main event. Cruz, a former foe of his from 2020, had been set for his final fight in the co-headliner against Rob Font - one he was forced to withdraw from.

Cruz revealed his injury occurred during grappling training, specifically drills focused on getting up from bottom position. While posturing on his elbow to explode upward, the force sent his shoulder "out the back," resulting in overwhelming pain and a lengthy recovery process.

Dominick Cruz has spent much of his MMA career fighting against more than just opponents—he’s battled countless injuries and mental health struggles along the way. Now, with his retirement made official,