UFC legend Dominick Cruz highlighted the nuances of defeats in the sport of MMA during the UFC HOF induction ceremony. <\/p>\n
Dominick Cruz has put forth what many have deemed to be a poignant and meaningful take on loss in the sport of MMA.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The former two-time\u00a0UFC<\/a> bantamweight champion was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame (HOF) in its Modern Wing. Cruz and a few other HOF inductees attended the 2026 UFC Hall of Fame ceremony in Las Vegas on July 9.<\/p>\n The prestigious event was a part of the International Fight Week festivities, including the UFC 329 event that’ll transpire tonight. Cruz appeared onstage for his induction and delivered a speech, which elicited widespread praise for his nuanced take on MMA and more.\u00a0<\/p>\n UFC legend Dominick Cruz underlines the significance of loss in the sport of MMA<\/p>\n The final WEC bantamweight kingpin and the inaugural UFC bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz forged a unique legacy as a professional mixed martial arts fighter, earning considerable laudation and being deemed by many as one of the most intelligent competitors in the sport.\u00a0<\/p>\n During his UFC Hall of Fame induction speech, Cruz alluded to how losses in MMA are a terrifying, albeit educational, experience. During his monologue, which many hailed as truly thought-provoking, “The Dominator” stated:\u00a0<\/p>\n “And one of the greatest lessons comes in loss. In this sport, loss is public. It’s personal. It’s permanent. It goes on your record and follows you forever. You can be one of the best fighters alive but still have losses next to your name. But that doesn’t make loss a flaw.”<\/p>\n Cruz added, “Sometimes, it means you stayed long enough to be tested. Sometimes, it means you took the fights that could beat you. Sometimes, it means that you’re willing to read the other side of the lesson.”<\/p>\n The 41-year-old indicated that he knows what victory, championships, and the feeling of being called the best in the world gave him. He, however, also knows what loss taught him.\u00a0<\/p>\n Seemingly harking back to the time he lost his UFC bantamweight title inside the octagon against Cody Garbrandt<\/a>, he opined that he didn’t imagine it’d become one of the most meaningful moments of his career.\u00a0<\/p>\n Watch Dominick Cruz’s remarks regarding the teachings of loss in MMA below:\u00a0<\/p>\n \ud83d\udc4f Dominick Cruz drops a meaningful speech on loss in MMA after being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame<\/p>\n \u201cOne of the greatest lessons comes in loss. In this sport loss is public, it\u2019s personal, it\u2019s permanent. It goes on your record and it follows you forever. <\/p>\n That doesn\u2019t\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/znEUokJoFh<\/a><\/p>\n