Last year, Dominick Cruz returned to MMA from a three-and-a-half year layoff to challenge Henry Cejudo for the UFC bantamweight title. It didn’t go well. Cejudo stopped Cruz in the second round (a stoppage Cruz maintains was premature) to retain his title and then promptly retired from MMA. However, since then, Cejudo has continued to be active in the MMA trash talk space, and that’s something that doesn’t sit well with his final opponent.

“He retired after that to not have to face anybody but he’s still chirping,” Cruz told ESPN. “It’s not championship stuff when you do that, to me. You’re keeping yourself safe and trying to find yourself until you get the right position to come back. . . That target on your back, that’s what breaks champions, the target on your back over a long period of time. . . To me, that’s the sign of a real champion. It isn’t if you can win the belt, it’s how long can you hold it? How long can you stay at the top with that target on your back?”

Cruz knows a little about what he speaks, having won the WEC championship in 2010 and then defending it and the unified UFC title four more times over the next 20 months. He then held the belt another two-and-a-half years while suffering injury setbacks that ultimately forced the UFC to vacate his title. In contrast, Cejudo defended the bantamweight title just once and held it for only 352 total days before retiring.

In the years before his retirement, Cejudo embraced a “King of Cringe” persona that he credits with “saving the flyweight division” (something many flyweights take umbrage with) and has since continued to double down on this public image, recently Tweeting at UFC President Dana White that he could beat the flyweight, bantamweight, and featherweight champions in two rounds. The Tweet gained little traction which Cruz ascribes to the fact that the UFC has minimal financial interest in bringing Cejudo back.

“I don’t think so,” Cruz said about the UFC bringing Cejudo back. “He has this thing where he believes he’s worth millions and millions of dollars and I think that Dana doesn’t care. So probably not because he wants a certain amount of money before he’ll come back and fight, and I don’t know if he’ll ever get that.

“You look at the rest of the division, Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling - two top contenders that are fighting for the belt coming up - those guys aren’t asking for that kind of money and they’re going to bring a crazy fight to the table. So why would you bring back Cejudo, who’s playing it safe on the sidelines? For what? He doesn’t bring any extra views. If you’re a Conor McGregor, if you’re a Ronda Rousey, yes, you figure it out. But if you’re Henry Cejudo, he doesn’t bring some sort of awe factor to these fights to where everybody can’t wait to tune in to watch him. They’re just kind of laughing at him. He’s cringy.”

Unsurprisingly, the King of Cringe did not take kindly to these words from his former foe and he responded to Cruz yesterday via Twitter.

Cruz faces Casey Kenney in the featured fight of the preliminary card for UFC 259, a position he has no issue with.

“That’s probably the most seen position on the entire fight card,” Cruz said. “I’ll have the most eyes on me. Like I said, I’ve had a pretty decent layoff, so let’s get me in front of a lot of eyes is what I’m thinking. At the same time, being on the prelims, that’s an ego thing. I’m not really attached to my ego at this point. I know what I am. I know the things that I’ve accomplished.”

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TOP STORIES

125. Valentina Shevchenko vs. Jessica Andrade targeted for flyweight title fight at UFC 261.

Blessed. Max Holloway on Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega: ‘I’m the cloud over that fight’.

Justified. GoFundMe set up for MMA-trained man who fought Spencer Jones, attorney says it was ‘legally justified’.

Charity. Walt Harris and his wife launch Aniah’s Heart Foundation to help families with a missing loved one.

GP. ONE announces eight-woman grand prix to determine challenger for atomweight champion Angela Lee.

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VIDEO STEW

The A-Side Live Chat.

Israel Adesanya’s bonus resume.

Free fight.

Volko Champ Camp.

Rogan discussing Conor.

Also, Kevin Holland is a charismatic dude.

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LISTEN UP

The Bash. Dissecting the UFC’s muddled welterweight title picture.

UFC Unfiltered. Interviews with Jairzinho Rozenstruik and Montana De La Rosa.

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SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

Truth.

That’s a pretty sick bracelet.

Tony with Freddie Roach.

Askren.

Brian Kelleher.

Tattoo.

No, I do not want to be an Ultimate Fighter.

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FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Charles Jourdain (10-3-1) vs. Marcelo Rojo (16-6); UFC Vegas 21, Mar. 13.

Gillian Robertson (9-5) vs. Miranda Maverick (8-2); UFC 260, Mar. 27.

Valentina Shevchenko (20-3) vs. Jessica Andrade (21-8); UFC 261, Apr. 24.

Sage Northcutt (11-3) vs. Shinya Aoki (46-9); ONE on TNT 4, Mar. 28.

Maurice Greene (9-5) vs. Marcos Rogerio de Lima (17-7-1); UFC Fight Night, May 8.

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FINAL THOUGHTS

Thanks for reading and see y’all tomorrow.

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EXIT POLL

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