Monday marked a year and a half since UFC Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has had the opportunity to defend his title. He was scheduled to face Urijah Faber in a rubber match at UFC 148. Instead, he suffered an injury in training and was replaced by current interim champion Renan Barao. Then in December, Cruz had to have a second surgery on his ACL after re-injuring himself doing light training.
Four months later, Cruz tells Sherdog that he won’t be making the same mistake again (transcribed by MMA Mania):
I’m not gonna let media or anybody else push me on a date. ‘Give us a date. That’s all we want. We want a date, Dominick. Give us a date to look at!’ I can’t. I want a date. I don’t have one. I’m listening to my doctors because if I don’t do that, I get hurt again. The focus is ‘pull the reigns down’, pull the reigns on myself. Don’t let myself go in there too soon and just do the work I can with the UFC, with my sponsors, do everything I can on Fuel TV and say to the fans I will be back. I’m coming back. I’m working hard. No date yet but I’ll give it out when I have it. I promise.