Issue 082
December 2011
With elusiveness like Lyoto Machida and cardio like Clay Guida, there’s no one who dominates their opponents the way UFC bantamweight star Dominick Cruz can – but our guide to fighting like ‘The Dominator’ might change all that
FOOTWORK
Dominick Cruz has some of the most unusual and unorthodox footwork in all of MMA. ‘The Dominator’ never stops moving as he cuts angles and leaps in for attacks on his opponents.
IN THE GYM
Cruz develops his explosive movement and fast feet with plyometric training. Check out Cruz's workout video with fellow UFC fighter Phil Davis on YouTube for a look at how he combines hurdles and agility ladder drills to always keep his feet moving on fight night.
In Action
Take a look at Cruz's bouts against Joseph Benavidez from WEC 42 in 2009 and WEC 50 in 2010. Cruz never stopped moving his feet from the start to the finish of both fights.
KICK AND PUNCH COMBINATIONS
Cruz's highly individual striking style won't work for everyone, but it'll be fun to imitate his crazy lurching combinations as you strive for speed and power like the Dominator.
IN THE GYM
Cruz throws wide and wild, committing himself fully to big rotations. Show hooks, overhands and finish each combo on a kick, or a leg takedown.
In Action
Cruz's UFC debut, a title defense against Urijah Faber at UFC 132, was a success thanks to his ability to drive Faber back with his hands and legs and takedown combinations.
DOUBLE-LEG FINISH, TAKING THE MAN OVER YOUR HEAD
This double-leg finish consists of hitting a standard lateral drive, and when your opponent resists and attempts to sprawl, you rapidly change the direction of attack, throwing the opponent to the other side.
IN THE GYM
Touch-and-go drills are the key to developing a fast double. Get in range of your training partner and shoot. Drill sets of three, each with a different finish for the double. Level changing with speed and without giving tells in your body language are perhaps even more important than the speed with which you cover the distance.
In Action
Look at round two of Cruz vs Jorgensen (2:18, to be specific) at WEC 53 to see how Cruz turns the corner then changes angle in his shoot.
HEAD AND BODY MOVEMENT
Unlike many in MMA, Cruz makes frequent use of head and body movement, which not only helps neutralize much of his foes’ power but also makes him extremely hard to hit, contributing to his elusiveness.
IN THE GYM
Separate the evasive foot movement from the body and head movement by planting your feet in range of your training partner. Have them wear a heavy sparring glove, preferably 16oz, and throw a variety of blows while you deflect and evade by twisting and rolling your head and body. Start slowly, and build up the speed and number of shots in the combination until you're dealing with full-speed flurries. When defensive drilling, be sure to keep the shots light – only work like this with an experienced coach or training partner whom you trust.
In Action
In his WEC 53 appearance against Scott Jorgensen, Cruz got the better of the exchanges with the tidier, more traditional striker thanks to the unpredictable shifts in his movement.
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