Dominick Cruz explains why Henry Cejudo winning at UFC 288 would have been “catastrophic” for the bantamweight division

Dominick Cruz was happy to see Aljamain Sterling get the nod over Henry Cejudo in last weekend’s UFC 288 main event.

Cejudo (16-3 MMA) returned to the Octagon for the first time in over three years in the headliner of Saturday’s UFC 288 event in New Jersey, colliding with Aljamain Sterling (23-3 MMA) for the promotion‘s undisputed bantamweight championship.

‘Triple C’ was looking to reclaim the 135lbs title that he vacated (via retirement) after defeating the aforementioned Dominick Cruz in the main event of UFC 249.

Meanwhile ‘Funkmaster’ was looking to make history by becoming the first bantamweight champion to record three consecutive title defenses.

The highly anticipated ‘Cejudo vs. Sterling’ matchup went the full five rounds and after twenty-five minutes of action fans and fighters alike appeared split on who actually won the contest. Ultimately the judges were also split with their decision making, as Aljamain Sterling defeated Henry Cejudo by split decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47).

Although some fighters were not in agreement with the decision, former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz was happy with how things turned out. According to the ‘Dominator’, a Henry Cejudo win would have been “catastrophic” for the promotion’s bantamweight division.

“I think it would have been very catastrophic to have Henry there instead of Sterling,” Cruz said during his recent appearance on The MMA Hour (h/t MMANews). “I just think (Aljamain) is going to be much better for the division as champion. He’s more active, and shows himself as a champion. I am proud to say he’s the champion. The way he carries himself, the way that he fights, the way he shows respect. I’m glad he’s the champion.”

Dominick Cruz continued to take aim at his former opponent in Henry Cejudo:

“Anyone who comes and wins the title and retires when they’re in their prime is trying to dodge the pressure. If we’re in a group of 15 people and we’re all training, all in one room…and Henry knocks somebody out in the middle of that session and walks off the mat…we all kept working. I had three knee blowouts, a blown-out shoulder, busted hands, and I’m in the USADA testing pool and I’ve got people calling me out every week telling me I need to get out there and compete. That’s a lot of pressure.“

After initially pondering the idea of announcing his second career retirement, Henry Cejudo has since decided he will fight on and called out surging bantamweight contender Merab Dvalishvili to be his next opponent.

What do you think of Dominick Cruz suggesting that a ‘Triple C’ win at UFC 288 would have been “catastrophic” for the bantamweight division? Share your thoughts in the comment section Penn Nation!