The fight that I’ve been asked about every day this week, every day for the past few months and, really, in almost every interview I’ve done since the last fight with Urijah Faber four years ago, is finally here.
I am hours away from the main event of UFC 132 here at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. It has been an experience, doing all the interviews, doing the press conference and open workouts, but now I am just ready to fight.
I live my life for my sport right now. Hanging out? Partying? Watching TV? All that is stuff I can do after I retire. For now until maybe 10 years from now, this is my life. I’m dedicated on fixing every aspect of my game until it is perfect and I’ve sacrificed everything just to focus on MMA.
I think I am getting there. I’ve been able to outwrestle the best in the division, my jiu-jitsu has improved and I feel my striking is the best in the division. I feel like I’ve excelled everywhere and I have a huge stage Saturday to showcase all my hard work.
My first blog here started with me admitting that I was probably the least well-known of the UFC’s seven champions. I think that’s starting to change now but none of the PR stuff or talking means anything if I don’t perform in the fight. I am ready to perform.
Fight week I stay away from the internet, from newspapers and anything that could be negative. I make sure I keep in touch with my fans via Twitter and Facebook but I sort of use my camp as a filter there. One article I was told about was that someone wrote that of all the UFC champions, I may be the one to hold onto the belt the longest. With guys like GSP and Anderson Silva as champs right now, that is some great respect and a big compliment there.
It’s always nice to get respect like that. That’s fantastic and it is a little part of why I do this is to be recognized, of course. But to me it is nothing more than something nice to hear along the way. Words like ‘legacy’ are what I will leave to the fans to argue about after I retire.
The way I look at the situation was that I have to win one fight at a time to get a legacy or to be considered as a pound-for-pounder.
And I know this weekend’s fight with Faber is the biggest fight of my career so far. I don’t like Faber, but I’ve got no problem telling anyone that he has done a lot for the lighter weight fighters with him getting attention and being a great fighter to watch. That is part of the reason this fight is so big, is exactly because it is me vs. Faber.
It is going to be great fight and win for me. I’ve been waiting to get this monkey off my back for four years and I know it is going to be the biggest win of my career.
Hit me up on Twitter at @TheDomin8r and Facebook me.
Dominick Cruz will defend his bantamweight belt against Urijah Faber at UFC 132 on Saturday, July 2 in Las Vegas. He will blog this week and next for sportsnet.ca ahead of his fight.
UFC 132 will be shown live on pay-per-view at 6 p.m. PT / 9 p.m. ET. Watch t live preliminary fights on Sportsnet starting at 5 p.m. PT / 8 p.m. ET.