VIDEO | Dominick Cruz Confident He Can Beat Conor McGregor at Featherweight or Lightweight

https://youtu.be/y41BSxRYrGQ

Dominick Cruz is an incredible force at bantamweight. Though his run atop the division was put on hold by a string of unfortunate injuries between late 2011 to early 2016, he has yet to lose at 135 lbs.

Given his unprecedented dominance at bantamweight, Cruz has begun to discuss the possibility of a jump up to featherweight – perhaps for a showdown with interim featherweight champion Jose Aldo. If Cruz were to head north 145, however, there could be no bigger fight for him than one with the division’s undisputed king, Conor McGregor.

Were Cruz to fight McGregor at 145, he’d be at a considerable size disadvantage. Despite this disadvantage, the bantamweight king is confident he could defeat the Irish star. In fact, Cruz is optimistic that he could even defeat McGregor in the 155-pound lightweight division, where he is currently competing.

The bantamweight champ explained how he would do this in a recent appearance on UFC on Fox.

“Look everyone’s calling out Conor McGregor, and I don’t want to be another guy because everybody wants that fight,” Cruz said. “But, the thing is, McGregor is picking his own fights. So that’s not up to me, it’s not up to UFC, it’s up to McGregor. Now I know as much as McGregor, and more, about this sport than anybody, and it seems that the only way to beat McGregor is with your mind. I know I can do that, and I know that I can also technically beat him. And I know that at 145 pounds I am extremely fast and hard to deal with. I can beat McGregor, absolutely. And I would love to fight him at 145 pounds or 155 pounds if he wins the title. I don’t care, I’m the champion and my style is built for moving up in weight classes because I don’t take damage.”

Do you think Cruz’s speed, footwork, and elusiveness would be enough to carry him to victory against McGregor? Or would he eventually wake up under the Jumbotron, having eaten one of McGregor’s legendary left hands? Sound off, PENN nation!