Why Dillashaw can beat Cruz
T.J. Dillashaw is looking to stamp his spot atop the 135-pound division when he faces Dominick Cruz in the main event of UFC Fight Night on Sunday.
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According to oddsmakers at RealBets, Dillashaw (12-2) is favored to defend his UFC Bantamweight Championship against Cruz (20-1) on Sunday, as Dillashaw has odds of -140 to win, while Cruz has been given a money line of +110 to win the belt. These two meet on Sunday night from the TD Garden in Boston, MA. The fight card airs live on Sunday at 10PM ET on FS1. Here are three reasons why the champ can win:
Health: Dillashaw has been an active champ since winning the title in May of 2014. He is looking to defend his title for the third time and remains fresh as a fighter. His opponent, Cruz, is coming off his second major knee injury in three years. Cruz never actually lost the 135-pound championship when he held it, simply couldn’t stay healthy enough to defend it. Cruz is jumping right into a title fight following a major knee injury and that could be a big mistake.
Power: While both men have a similar fighting style, one that Cruz was more the originator of, Dillashaw has managed to develop the power that Cruz didn’t seem to have. Since pairing himself with coach Duane Ludwig, Dillashaw has shown great power in his hands. His last three fights have been ended by KO, while Cruz has went to a decision in four of his last five fights.
Wrestling: If these two cancel each other out on the feet with their similar style, Dillashaw has a strong wrestling background that he can turn to. He was winning fights with his wrestling prior to developing a great striking game under Ludwig. Dillashaw was an accomplished wrestler in college and his build allows him to utilize explosive takedowns if he chooses to go in that direction.
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