The UFC conducted its first-ever Virtual Media Day where fighters went back and forth with journalists over a video call. Fighters, brimming with confidence, opened up about their strategies going into their respective fights. None more so than Dominick Cruz.

The co-main event at UFC 249 a matchup with the bantamweight belt at stake features an Olympic medallist wrestler against one of the greatest bantamweight in the history of the UFC.

Dominick Cruz talks tactics

Despite carrying the title of The Dominator, Cruz has been an innovator in the promotion for ages. From his fighting style resembling that of Muhammad Ali to his unrelenting desire to get the judges to acknowledge and award defense.

However, when it comes to taking on Henry Cejudo, the former bantamweight has an ironclad strategy in place. While speaking to the media during the Virtual Media Day, Cruz spells out his plan. He goes on to explain why he is the safer bet in this matchup, on paper at least.

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Comparing himself to Marlon Moraes, Cruz details his evasive maneuvers, talking about how he moves side to side, back and forth while filling in the angles as well. Something that Moraes lacks since all he does is, he goes back and forth in a rather linear manner.

Cruz remains in a constant state of flux, working off of the natural weight transfers of his motion. Moving, striking, and slipping the former WEC kingpin creates an environment for himself where he can change directions at the drop of a hat.

Both fighters come from a background of wrestling. However, one may concede that Cejudo is the superior wrestler considering his achievements at the Olympic level.

“I’m long and lanky. Also, I can wrestle, I have a wrestling background. So where Henry Cejudo knows how to grind, I know how to grind. Instead of getting tired and pulling back, I grind with him,” said Cruz while breaking his tactics down.

Personifying a more conservative style of wrestling, Cruz displays an astonishing level of positional awareness as soon as the fit hits the mats. Cruz as a fighter is a hard hustler, who is almost impossible to control throughout the fight. It will be interesting to see how Cejudo fares against The Dominator.

The Dominator hungry for a quick finish

One would rightly assume that considering the amount of time Cruz has spent outside the octagon over the past few years, he would be looking to spend as much time as he can in the cage.

However, that could not be farther than the truth. Unlike the fighters who look forward to getting their face restructured(Justin Gaethje) Cruz would prefer to finish Cejudo off without suffering a lot of damage.

Many fighters feel the need to go the distance and fight through the 5 rounds. However, he strongly disagrees with this notion and would rather bag a win without getting hit.

“I’m going for the finish. Every single one of us wants to walk in there and do what Masvidal did [to Askren]. If we could fight every fight like that, it would be that way. But does it happen? No. It’s either a blowout or right up to the last second.

If I can go in there and not have you lay a finger on me, that’s what I’ll do. I don’t want you to touch me,” said Dominick Cruz as he explains his desire to finish the fight with minimal damage.

Cruz will be walking into the octagon with a wide array of weapons in his arsenal. If Cejudo does not manage to put the hurt on Cruz early and repeatedly, there is a strong chance that the King of Cringe may end up parting ways with his title. For if Cruz takes the fight to the judges’ cards, he may bag a win thanks to his superior reach and height.

Who do you think will come out on top?