Dominick Cruz suffered his first defeat in nine years at the hands of Cody Garbrandt at UFC 207 in December. He was dropped three time during the fight and was not able to showcase “The Dominator” that fans have been accustomed to.
During the post-fight press conference, Cruz simply accepted his defeat and gave props to Garbrandt for a job well done. But according to striking coach Duane Ludwig, something was not right with the former bantamweight champion that night.
“Cody looked really good in his last fight, but I will say this: Cruz did not look good. Cruz looked off,” Ludwig said during his recent appearance on ESPN.com’s 5ive Rounds podcast. “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,” he continued. “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.”
Ludwig has had the opportunity to study Cruz when he helped T.J. Dillashaw prepare for their fight in January 2016. He was also able to work with Garbrandt, when he spent a brief stint as Team Alpha Male’s striking coach. Based on these experiences alone, Ludwig concluded that UFC 207 may have been an “off-night” for Cruz.
“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,” Ludwig said. “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.”
Garbrandt will defend his newly-won title at the TUF 25 Finale against Dillashaw, while Cruz still hasn’t been booked for a return bout.