Dominick Cruz inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame

Dominick Cruz became the latest inductee into the UFC Hall of Fame on Saturday night.

The former two-time bantamweight champion turned commentator was announced as the first inductee into the class of 2026 during the historic UFC 324 card from Las Vegas, Nevada on Saturday night.

Cruz emerged in the now-defunct World Extreme Cagefighting promotion, becoming the promotion's bantamweight champion during a time when the UFC did not include weight classes below 155lbs.

His rivalry with Urijah Faber and the rest of Team Alpha Male led to some of the most memorable clashes of the late 2000s, and Cruz became the inaugural UFC bantamweight champion when he defeated Scott Jorgensen at WEC 53.

After defending his new title on two occasions Cruz's was forced out of the cage following a series of devastating injuries that threatened to bring his career to a premature end.

Between October 2011 and January 2016 he fought just once, before returning once more to take on the man who had claimed the belt that he once held, TJ Dillashaw.

The two clashed over five hard-fought rounds in the main event of UFC Fight Night 81, with Cruz reclaiming his title on the judges scorecards.

He would go on to triumph over Faber in a trilogy bout at UFC 199 before dropping the title to Cody Garbrandt at the end of the year.

Injuries would once rear their head, but Cruz transitioned seamlessly into a career as a commentator and analyst for the UFC - offering a clinical insights on the mechanics of the sport from the broadcast booth.

Cruz's last outing in the Octagon came in 2022 when he defeated by Marlon Vera, and he announced his retirement shortly after - ending his career with a record of 24-4 and remains the longest-reigning bantamweight champion in UFC history.

Adrian Bishop

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