Dominick Cruz has shocked the MMA world before by reclaiming the UFC’s bantamweight crown, and T.J. Dillashaw believes his former foe is going to do that again at UFC 249.

Dillashaw doesn’t think Henry Cejudo’s as good as the champ claims

Cruz has been booked to fight Cejudo at UFC 249, as a result of all the scrambling the UFC’s been forced to do in the last month or so, on account of the coronavirus pandemic. Originally, Cejudo was scheduled to fight Jose Aldo on May 9th in Brazil.

Well, because Cruz hasn’t fought now since 2016, and due to Cejudo’s status as one of the best fighters on the planet, the latter is a sizeable favorite to win the bout. But, while talking to ESPN recently, Dillashaw offered this take on the fight (quotes via MMA Mania).

“I actually think Cruz wins the fight, I think he wins a decision,” Dillashaw said. “I don’t think Cejudo is all he cracks himself up to be.

He’s very good, don’t get me wrong. He’s a great athlete, he’s done some amazing things in the combat world.

But I don’t think he’s to the level of what Cruz can show him. It’s gonna be difficult for Cejudo to deal with Cruz’s awkward movement.”

“I think MMA wrestling is a completely different sport,” Dillashaw said, while talking about Cejudo’s wrestling pedigree and the fact he’s a former Olympic Gold Medal winner in the sport.

“I think the distance control that Cruz has is going to be one of Cejudo’s biggest challenges.

He’s not gonna be able to get a hold of Cruz. If he does, he isn’t gonna be able to hold him down. It’s not like Cejudo is a jiu-jitsu expert where he’s gonna take advantage of Cruz giving him his back.

Because Cruz gives up his back constantly when he gets taken down, but he uses it to get back to his feet. I think Cruz’s scrambling ability and his MMA wrestling will be an advantage for him, too.”

Dillashaw’s not the only one

Dillashaw makes some really good points, and he’s not the only person in the know to voice a similar take. If Cruz is healthy, and if he still has the movement and reflexes he did before, it will be really interesting to whether Cejudo can deal with it. 

It’s also worth noting that Cruz will have a five-inch reach advantage over the former champ-champ.

Dillashaw faced Cruz in 2016 and dropped a tightly contested, split decision to him. Last January, Dillashaw dropped down to flyweight to challenge Cejudo, and was stopped in the first round.

UFC 249 will be hosted by the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida.