The Doggy Bag: The Worrywart Edition

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I am worried for Dominick Cruz. A knee injury is always dangerous, but he's a fighter that uses non-stop motion, movement and explosion to beat his opponents. On top of that, there are so many good young prospects. Regardless of what happens with the interim title situation and Urijah Faber, how is Cruz going to look when he comes back? It seems like the competition is about to reach a whole new level at 135 pounds, and I just don't know how he'll adjust coming of a serious knee injury. -- Mark from Toledo Mike Whitman, news editor: Cruz tearing his ACL is certainly cause for concern, but I’m not full-on worried for the champ.

True, a knee injury of that magnitude presents a major problem, especially for a fighter whose trademark asset is his fancy footwork. However, Cruz is also fortunate that he is the UFC bantamweight king and not the promotion’s heavyweight titlist, as knee and foot injuries often prove to a be a death sentence for super-sized athletes in all sports.

You are right to say that Cruz’s perch on top of the division will not be easily defended when he does return to the cage. Waiting for him with an interim title around his waist could be nemesis Faber, or it could be another member of the UFC’s top tier at 135 pounds: Renan Barao and Michael McDonald, we are looking at you.

Regardless of whom Cruz actually faces, it is wise for the promotion to institute an interim title. While the champion’s recovery time is listed at six to nine months, an injury as serious as an ACL tear could take longer to heal. The last thing Cruz should do against that aforementioned pack of ravenous wolves is face one of them when he is less than healthy. He could easily be sitting on the sidelines for a year.

With that said, I think when Cruz is fully recovered that he will fight like “The Dominator” to which we have become accustomed. The 26-year-old’s vexing standup style is also made up of feints, head movement and unpredictable punch combinations, in addition to his in-and-out footwork. While any drop-off in mobility should undoubtedly be treated seriously, I do not think that the injury will stop Cruz from finding a way to utilize his tremendous boxing and wrestling skills, even if he does lose a step as a result of his surgery. One way or another, I still see Cruz fighting near the top of the division for several years to come.

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