Longtime former WEC featherweight world champion Urijah Faber was recently blasted by ex training-partner and pupil T.J. Dillashaw as “being a dinosaur.” Faber’s former protege apparently has taken great exception to “the California Kid’s” name being heavily rumored above his as the next opponent for recently-crowned 135-pound stalwart Dominick “The Dominator” Cruz.
Still reeling from a razor-thin championship loss to a returning Cruz last month, Dillashaw does not believe his former Team Alpha Male mentor is anywhere near deserving of such an honor. In regards to a likely return-bout between Faber and Cruz, a scorned Dillashaw had this to say to Submission Radio:
“I don’t feel like Urijah’s done enough to get that fight. I mean, obviously he’s going to talk enough and talk his way and try and get into that fight, but I don’t think he deserves it off his performances and the way’s he’s looked. And the guy’s a dinosaur, man. He hasn’t been looking very good. I feel like he’s been going downhill.”
While Faber is the only fighter to defeat the the 22-1 Cruz, that 2007 loss was later avenged via five-round unanimous decision in 2011. Since that time, Faber has sported a record of 8-3 — with two losses coming in championship fights — while Cruz has had just three starts due to serious knee injuries.
In light of these near career-ending maladies, few, if any, gave Cruz a chance of defeating the only man to definitively conquer a prime Renan Barao in championship action. However, when all was said and done, on Jan. 17, Cruz was once again hailed as the main-man in the UFC‘s 135-pound division.
Recently, Cruz spoke to USA Today concerning the impetus for the likely conclusion to his bitter rivalry with Faber.
“I think this is just another gift for Faber. He’s been gifted his whole career with title shots, but oh well. I’m all he’s got left, so I might as well give him one more.”
Though at 145 pounds against Frankie Edgar Faber appeared as though his once awe-inspiring talents had significantly diminished, a final bout with Cruz would be a sound proposition for both men and the UFC. Just don’t tell that to T.J. Dillashaw.
