Dominick Cruz didn’t look like himself against Cody Garbrandt, at least that’s what T.J. Dillashaw’s coach Duane Ludwig thinks.
For Ludwig, something was amiss with Cruz on Dec. 30, 2016. On that night, “The Dominator” defended his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight title against “No Love” in the co-main event of UFC 207.
While Ludwig doesn’t take anything away from Garbrandt’s star-making performance, he also isn’t convinced Cruz showed up 100 percent. During a recent appearance on ESPN.com‘s 5ive Rounds podcast, Ludwig explained why he feels that way:
“Cody looked really good in his last fight, but I will say this: Cruz did not look good. Cruz looked off. I think he took the high road and said he was healthy, but he did not look like the same Cruz at all. Cruz’s footwork wasn’t there. Mentally and physically, he didn’t look the same. I can’t say for sure he had an injury, but he wasn’t feinting and pumping like he typically does to pull guys in. It was a combination of Cody having a really good night and Cruz having an off night. That’s what happened in my very expert opinion. I’ve been in this game a long time. This is what I do. I’ve dedicated my life to martial arts. In my professional, expert opinion, Cruz looked off.”
Ludwig’s fighter, Dillashaw, will look for his second UFC bantamweight title run when he battles Garbrandt for the championship this July. First, the two fighters will be opposing coaches on season 25 of The Ultimate Fighter.
Meanwhile, Cruz has plans on waiting for the winner of Dillashaw and Garbrandt so he can fight for the 135-pound gold again. “The Dominator’s” loss to “No Love” was his first since March 2007. The defeat came at the hands of Team Alpha Male founder Urijah Faber. Garbrandt trains at Team Alpha Male, while Dillashaw used to train there.
