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Former bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has admitted that his most recent work for the UFC has been entirely to pay for his dog's surgery and upcoming fight camp. Cruz revealed that his dog 'Dojo' has torn their ACL and requires costly surgery in order to fix the issue.
'The Dominator' is expected back in the octagon in August against longtime rival Marlon Vera. As he's now heading into fight camp, it means Cruz won't be working/earning on our screens as a color commentator.
While appearing on the Anik and Florian Podcast, the former two-time bantamweight champion detailed his situation.
"I worked my last event, that should pay for my dog bills, as 'Dojo' just blew his ACL, the little jerk. Cost me an arm and a leg, literally. I had to make some money [Jon] Anik. Because I'm gonna be out for the next three months, you know, no work. I had to make some money before I even started this camp to pay for this camp."
Catch the episode below:
Dominick Cruz and 'Chito' Vera will headline a UFC Fight Night later this year and finally have the chance to let out their frustrations in the hope of shaking up the bantamweight division. Vera has regularly stated that Cruz has tried to avoid a fight with him, but that seems to no longer be the case.
The 36-year-old former champion is currently ranked No.8, whereas Vera sits three places higher at No.5. A win for either fighter will certainly add their name to the mix of what is an already stacked 135-pound title picture.
'Chito' Vera sends warning to Dominick Cruz
The long awaited bantamweight bout between the Ecuadorian and the American is set to have more than just a loss at stake. Vera posted a stern warning to Cruz on social media, stating that he's going to "finish with" him.
After a Fight of the Night performance against Rob Font, extending his win streak to three, Vera revealed his interest in fighting Dominick Cruz while awaiting his bantamweight title shot.
The top of the 135-pound division looks likely to be fought out between champion Aljamain Sterling, T.J. Dillashaw and the returning Henry Cejudo. Instead of waiting patiently, the Ecudorian star instead accepted the fight with 'The Dominator', who he believes has been ducking him for years.
"August 13, I finish with you Cruz." [Translation via Google]
Both Marlon Vera and Dominick Cruz will put their rankings and win streaks on the line this August. Cruz is pushing for one last run at the title, whereas Vera is yet to step into the octagon with gold on the line. Both fighters' form certainly suggests they're on the right track.
