Dominick Cruz is set to make his comeback against Rob Font at UFC Seattle on February 22, expressing contentment despite not securing his preferred opponent, Henry Cejudo, and indicating this fight might be his retirement bout after over 20 years in MMA.
Dominick Cruz didn’t get his first choice for a comeback opponent, but he’s still pretty stoked. Next month, he’s stepping back into the octagon to face Rob Font at UFC Seattle on Feb. 22. It’s been a whopping 30 months since his last fight, and for the former bantamweight champ, it’s all about getting back to what he loves.
"I’ve been itching to fight, but I had to sort my body out," Cruz told GoodGuy/Bad Guy. Injuries? Yeah, he’s had more than a few. So now, he’s making sure he’s ready before jumping into the fray. No more fighting hurt for him.
Back in the day, being champ meant staying in line or losing your spot. But now? Not being in the top five gives him some breathing room. "Even if I fought three more times, a title shot’s probably not happening," he mused. So, he takes fights as they come.
Cruz is from an era where fighting was about passion, not just paychecks. He loves it—plain and simple. And he’s gearing up for one more round in the cage.
Fans might be surprised by this matchup. Many expected Cruz to return against Jose Aldo or maybe a rematch with Henry Cejudo. But nope, it’s Font who got the nod. Cruz wanted Cejudo first but quickly realized that "Triple C" wasn’t interested in running it back.
"The UFC asked me to fight on short notice," Cruz explained. He’s doing them a favor, really. But he admits wanting those rematches—especially with Henry—but they weren’t on the table. So, he’s been training hard in Mexico City, staying ready for the right moment.
Why wouldn’t Cejudo take the rematch? Cruz has a theory: "I embarrassed him with my words," he chuckled. The banter might be too much for Henry to handle again.
Cruz and Cejudo have history—they fought at UFC 249 where Cejudo won by TKO. Since then, Cejudo retired and came back, losing twice in 2023. Now, he’s headlining against Song Yadong at UFC Seattle.
Cruz doesn’t think there’ll be any drama between them during fight week. "That dude avoids me like I’m the plague," he said with a laugh. Cejudo wants nothing to do with him outside of the octagon.
"He lacks the mental sharpness for clear communication," Cruz added, calling him "cringy." So it’s better to sidestep all that and focus on Rob Font instead—a fighter Cruz respects both as an athlete and a person.
As for this fight? It might be Cruz’s swan song after over 20 years in MMA. Even another shot at Cejudo won’t change his mind about retirement.
"Henry can’t stop me," Cruz stated firmly when asked if anything could keep him from hanging up his gloves. He wants to prove himself against a top-tier opponent like Font—one of the world’s best—and show he’s still got it.
UFC Seattle is set for Feb. 22 at Climate Pledge Arena—mark your calendars!