Former UFC bantamweight champion and arguably the greatest fighter in the history of the division, Dominick Cruz returned to the octagon in the prelims of UFC 259.
The former champion took on a decorated judo practitioner and an up-and-coming star in the division, Cassey Kenney. Dominick Cruz had the chips on his shoulder as he was coming off a TKO loss to Henry Cejudo.
The legacy of Cruz was on the line at UFC 259. A win for Cruz would have solidified the notion that he still has the prowess to face the next generation of fighters. But a loss would have done some serious damage to his legacy in MMA.
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However, Dominick Cruz was able to secure the victory quite comfortably. The first two rounds were close and Kenney had a lot of success against Cruz in the second round. However, Dominick Cruz put the volume on Kenney in the final round, winning the fight by unanimous decision.
Cruz was also able to secure takedowns and dominance on the ground in the final round as Kenney seemed exhausted.
Besides Cruz’s incredible footwork and hand speed, one more thing caught the attention of the fans during the fight. Fans noticed a swelling on the left elbow of Dominick Cruz.
As per Dr. David Abbasi, the swelling on Cruz’s left elbow took place because the bursa over the olecranon (tip of the elbow) got inflamed. However, the injury of Cruz does not seem a huge concern.
In reference to last Dominick Cruz olecranon bursitis tweet.
This is when the bursa over the olecranon (tip of the elbow) gets inflamed and swollen. It is usually treated with rest, ice, avoiding pressure to elbow, and anti-inflammatories. 😷🧊💊👍🏼#mmatwitter #DominickCruz pic.twitter.com/ViavgDZCP9
— David Abbasi, MD (@DrDavidAbbasi) March 7, 2021
Dominick Cruz looks like he may have elbow olecranon bursitis. 👀#ufc259 #mmatwitter pic.twitter.com/aGrwyHeu4D
— David Abbasi, MD (@DrDavidAbbasi) March 7, 2021
What’s Next For Dominick Cruz?
After the comeback win at UFC 259, Cruz called out Hans Molenkamp for a charity fight. However, it’s very unlikely that UFC would be interested in that fight. Cruz has some huge fights ahead of him in the bantamweight division including potential fights against Jose Aldo and Frankie Edgar. Though it is unlikely that Dominick Cruz will be a champion again in the bantamweight division he can go on an impressive winning streak to end his legendary career.
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