UFC immediately introduced at UFC 324 that former UFC and WEC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz will probably be inducted into the UFC Corridor of Fame’s Trendy Wing as a member of the Class of 2026. The 2026 UFC Corridor of Fame Induction Ceremony will happen this summer season.
“Dominick Cruz is among the biggest bantamweights in fight sports activities historical past,” mentioned UFC President & CEO Dana White. “Dominick was a tremendous athlete who set the usual for bantamweights, and it will likely be an honor to induct him into the UFC Corridor of Fame this summer season.”
Cruz will enter the UFC Corridor of Fame because the seventeenth member of the Trendy Wing. The Trendy Period class consists of athletes who turned professional on or after November 17, 2000, when the primary UFC occasion beneath the unified guidelines of MMA was held. Different necessities embody a minimal age of 35 or those that have been retired for one 12 months or extra.
A veteran of 28 fights throughout his 17-year skilled MMA profession, Cruz compiled a document of 24-4 (14-2 UFC / WEC), incomes notable victories over UFC Corridor of Famer Urijah Faber, former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw, and former WEC bantamweight champion Brian Bowles.
Cruz made his skilled MMA debut on January 29, 2005, defeating his opponent by way of cut up determination. He would win his first 9 fights throughout varied MMA promotions, earlier than dealing with future UFC Corridor of Famer Urijah Faber for the WEC featherweight title within the co-main occasion of WEC® 26: CONDIT vs. ALESSIO, which came about on March 24, 2007.
Cruz would lose his WEC debut to by way of first spherical submission however bounce again one 12 months later with a first-round victory in one other promotion. Following his victory, Cruz would rejoin WEC and win his subsequent 4 fights within the bantamweight division to earn his second title struggle with the promotion towards the undefeated champion, Brian Bowles, in the principle occasion of WEC 47.
WEC® 47: BOWLES vs. CRUZ came about on March 6, 2010, at Nationwide Enviornment in Columbus, Ohio, and served as Cruz’s first skilled essential occasion. Cruz set the tempo from the opening bell, utilizing his velocity and elevated motion to attach on a number of punches and low kicks to win the primary spherical.
Cruz continued his dominance of the struggle within the second spherical, putting Bowles with a collection of punch and low kick mixtures to counter the champions assaults. After the profitable the second spherical, Cruz was declared the winner and new WEC bantamweight champion, as Bowles was unable to proceed on account of a damaged proper hand.
Cruz would win his subsequent seven fights over six years, defending the WEC bantamweight title two instances and turning into the inaugural UFC bantamweight champion by defeating Scott Jorgensen within the co-main occasion of WEC® 53: HENDERSON vs. PETTIS.
WEC 53 was the ultimate occasion of the promotion earlier than merging with UFC and the one time a UFC title struggle occurred throughout a non-UFC occasion.
After shedding the UFC bantamweight title to Cody Garbrandt within the co-main occasion of UFC® 207: NUNES vs. ROUSEY, Cruz would win two of his remaining 4 fights. Cruz retired in February 2025, two and a half years after his final struggle, the place he misplaced to former UFC bantamweight title challenger Marlon “Chito” Vera in the principle occasion of UFC® on ESPN: VERA vs. CRUZ.
Cruz enters the UFC Corridor of Fame with a powerful resume that features:
UFC:
• Longest title reign in UFC bantamweight historical past – 1,117 days• Most title struggle wins in UFC / WEC bantamweight historical past – 7• Tied for many wins in UFC / WEC bantamweight historical past – 14• Second-longest struggle profitable streak in UFC / WEC bantamweight historical past – 12• Second-most takedowns landed in UFC / WEC bantamweight historical past – 55• Fourth-most strikes landed in UFC / WEC bantamweight historical past – 1,590
Outdoors the Octagon, Cruz has been honored with a number of awards all through his profession, receiving Fighter of the 12 months by USA At this time in 2010 and Comeback Fighter of the 12 months in 2014 by the Fighters Solely World MMA Awards. A seasoned analyst, Cruz has additionally captured honors for his commentary work being named Analyst of the 12 months in 2015, 2016 and 2017 by the Fighters Solely World MMA Awards.
A local of San Diego, Calif., Cruz started wrestling within the seventh grade at Flowing Wells Excessive College in Tucson, Arizona. He at the moment serves as a fight sports activities analyst and resides in San Diego.
