Legendary MMA rivalry buried as Dominick Cruz reveals wholesome gesture by nemesis TJ Dillashaw

Former UFC champion Dominick Cruz reacts to corner rival TJ Dillashaw reaching out to him after a recent injury and retirement announcement.

Legendary MMA rivalry buried as Dominick Cruz reveals wholesome gesture by nemesis TJ Dillashaw

Dominick Cruz shares details about his latest conversation with TJ Dillashaw (via X)

UFC veteran Dominick Cruz recently made a shocking retirement announcement, which caught the fans off guard. The fighter gave 14 professional years to the promotion and fought some of the best fighters in the bantamweight division. After his retirement, Cruz received a variety of messages from many athletes, including his bitter rival, TJ Dillashaw. 

Cruz was previously scheduled to fight UFC legend Rob Font this month; however, he had to pull out due to a shoulder injury. His second dislocation in eight months prompted him to retire from fighting. The fighter, in a recent interview, shared his conversation with Dillashaw about his current situation. 

TJ Dillashaw actually reached out to me. I was shocked. He gave me a recommendation for a shoulder doctor. He said he was looking forward to watching me compete and was sorry that I couldn’t.

Dominick Cruz via The Ariel Helwani Show 

Cruz shared that top athletes like former F1 star Daniel Ricciardo also reached out to him about his retirement. Nevertheless, watching him discuss his conversation with Dillashaw was a wholesome sight for MMA fans given their past rivalry. Dillashaw was in a similar situation when he fought Aljamain Sterling at UFC 280 for the title. 

The injury and loss made Dillashaw quit fighting despite his interest in continuing it. Currently, the fighter is busy making MMA content but must relate to Cruz’s situation. During their prime, both fighters shared one of the most fierce rivalries of that time. 

TJ Dillashaw reacts to Dominick Cruz’s trash-talking

The rivalry between TJ Dillashaw and Dominick Cruz began in 2014 when Cruz mocked Dillashaw’s footwork, calling him a copycat. In 2016, Cruz defeated Dillashaw via split decision to reclaim the bantamweight title, with many debating the judges’ decision. The fight was close and quite entertaining for the fight fans. 

Dominick Cruz beats TJ Dillashaw in 2016 to win the UFC bantamweight belt
Dominick Cruz beats TJ Dillashaw in 2016 to win the UFC bantamweight belt (via MMA Fighting)

After the fight, Dillashaw pushed for a rematch, accusing Cruz of ducking him, while Cruz dismissed his claims. Their war of words continued for years, with Dillashaw criticizing Cruz’s inactivity and Cruz mocking Dillashaw after his 2019 EPO suspension. In an interview, the former two-time champion shared how he felt going against Cruz’s trash-talking. 

Cruz did a very good job of getting under my skin and pissing me off. It’s just irritating. Never f***** stops, he’s like a child. Probably two rounds for sure I fought angry. 

TJ Dillashaw via The Casuals MMA 
YouTube video

Both fighters in their prime were a treat to watch for the fight fans. However, as expected, age has now caught up to them, and their professional careers are behind them. Nevertheless, it won’t be surprising to see Cruz returning back to UFC as an analyst or a commentator.