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Dominick Cruz Has Successful Surgery, but May Have to Sit Out 2019

Dominick Cruz following 2019 shoulder surgery
Dominick Cruz following 2019 shoulder surgery

Dominick Cruz has been one of the most dominant fighters of all time in the Octagon. The only thing that ever seems to hold him back is the rash of injuries that have plagued his career. It doesn't appear that his body is going to let that change any time soon.

Cruz had surgery performed on his right shoulder on Tuesday. By his account, it went well, but that still means a lengthy recovery for the former WEC and UFC bantamweight champion.

"The surgery went well! I appreciate your support. Now on the road to recovery," Cruz tweeted on Wednesday.

https://twitter.com/DominickCruz/status/1083136745862979584

Though Cruz has suffered some typical injuries, such as a broken hand, that haven't hampered his career all that much, there are several others that have. 

After defending the UFC bantamweight belt against Urijah Faber and Demetrious Johnson when he moved over from the WEC, Cruz tore his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and spent a year and a half trying to make his way back to the Octagon. Just when it appeared he would return to unify his belt with interim champion Renan Barao, he suffered a torn groin muscle that forced him to vacate the title. It was the first time in Cruz's career that he had to be out of action for three years because of injuries.

Cruz returned briefly in September of 2014 to defeat Takeya Mizugaki and earn a shot at champion TJ Dillashaw. A few months later, Cruz tore the ACL in his other leg, which sidelined him for the entirety of 2015.

He returned in January of 2016 to win the belt back from Dillashaw and again defend it against Faber, but then dropped the title to Cody Garbrandt in December of that year. 

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Though 2016 represented Cruz's most active year since 2010, the following year would see him return to the sidelines. After recovering from a bout with plantar fascia tendinitis, Cruz was slated to face Jimmie Rivera in December of 2017, but had to withdraw because of a broken arm.

That put him out for most of 2018 as well and then the current shoulder injury, which happened in December, capped the year and forced him to withdraw from a planned January 2019 bout with John Lineker.

Despite having what appears to have been a successful shoulder surgery on Tuesday, Cruz's recovery is expected to keep him on the bench for the better part of 2019, if not the entire year. That would mark the second time in his career that injuries would derail Cruz for a three-year period.