Former UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz recently shared his thoughts on what the outcome will be in the upcoming title fight between current champion Cody Garbrandt and former champion TJ Dillashaw.
“I think stylistically, TJ has the technique and the tools to beat a guy like Cody,” Cruz said on Monday’s edition of The MMA Hour. “He kicks fluently, he mixes his punches and kicks. Cody has the edge in the power in the pocket, but TJ can make up the pocket work with kicks, movement, and angles, and he’s kicking a little bit more than I did against Cody, so I think that will play to his advantage.”
“But as for the mental game, I think the fact that TJ is facing that whole camp, not just Cody Garbrandt, I think that’s really wearing on TJ. I think it’s going to keep wearing on him. I think the mental is what gets him beat against Cody.”
In December, Garbrandt won the UFC bantamweight title by defeating then-champion Cruz by unanimous decision. Garbrandt will defend the title against Dillashaw at UFC 213 on July 8.
Dillashaw is a former teammate of Garbrandt’s at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California. Cruz believes that that fighting against his old teammate and coaches will be too much for Dillashaw to handle.
“He’s fighting that entire camp. He’s fighting Danny Castillo. He’s fighting Faber. He’s fighting Cody. He’s fighting all his old coaches. He’s fighting all his old friends and family members.”
