Dominick Cruz says UFC title shots are about ‘ticket sales and storylines’

Former two-time UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz is making his way back to a title fight but believes title fights aren’t always granted based on achievement.

Bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling successfully defended his title against former titleholder Petr Yan at UFC 273 in April. With two wins over the top contender, Sterling is expected to face former champion T.J. Dillashaw next. Cruz doesn’t think Dillashaw should be in the next title bout.

“He was suspended for cheating, so to get a (title) shot after one win – okay. Cool. It sounds like a hook up to me. He got two years off. Didn’t lose any real money, and then just gets right back up in,” Cruz said during an appearance on The MMA Hour.

“I kind of get it because when I was laid off for so long with my knee injuries I came back and fought [Takeya] Mizugauki, blew my knee out again, and then came back and got a title shot. But I hadn’t lost, and I hadn’t gotten in trouble for anything. I just blew my knees out, so it’s a little different and I got my shot that way.”

Nick Diaz looking to return to the octagon ‘at the end of the year’

Dillashaw likely receiving a title shot in his next outing made Cruz look at things differently. A title shot is about more than earning it inside the octagon. Performances will get you in the discussions, but ultimately it’s about what matchup has the highest probability of generating the most revenue.

“It’s showing me, what is dominant in each division is ticket sales and storyline,” Cruz said. “I think that the storyline is more important for the UFC than anything else to sell tickets than who deserves what.”