What’s worse than losing? Losing because of someone else’s incompetence. And as far as Dominick Cruz is concerned, it is the referee’s incompetence that cost him the bantamweight title.

Cruz has called Keith Peterson out for failing to pass his smell test. Following the stoppage of Saturday’s bantamweight title fight, Dominick Cruz has accused the referee of drinking while on the job. The former bantamweight champion argues that it contributed to the premature end of the fight.

“That was an early stoppage, 100%. I’m positive of it. I wish there was a way to keep these refs a little more responsible sometimes. The guy smelled like alcohol and cigarettes, so who knows what he was doing. Definitely (he did). I wish they drug tested them,” said Cruz following his fight.

Peterson waived the fight off with seconds remaining on the clock, while Cruz was receiving heavy shots to the head. However, The Dominator argues that he was finding his feet.

“I mean, totally cognizant is hard to say – you’re rocked, sometimes you get hit. I’ve been in those positions many, many times, though, and I had seconds left in the round,” Cruz told ESPN during the post-fight show.

Dominick Cruz wished for a different referee

“I immediately when I saw that ref, I was like, ‘Is there a way to veto that ref and get a new one?’ I wonder that as fighters, do we have that choice? I’m not sure. I wish we did,” said Cruz as he claims he would have preferred Herb Dean.

However, toward the end, Cruz admits that it was his fault as well. The 35-year-old fighter took responsibility for his actions saying he put himself in a position like that, forcing the referee to step in.

Cruz (22-3, MMA, UFC 5-2) had been watching from the sidelines for the last 3 years. And a knee to the head from Henry Cejudo sent him to the mats in his comeback fight.

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Even though the result did not favor Cruz, one has to accept that the former bantamweight champion put up a great fight. Some would argue that he disproved the existence of ring rust. And that is one of the main reasons behind Cruz making his way back to the octagon.

As far as talks about his future are concerned, unlike his opponent, Cruz has not revealed any plans to retire, yet. Therefore, there is a chance that we may get to see The Dominator in the octagon soon enough.

Who would you like Cruz to take on next?