Cormier Confronts Cruz Over Commentary Critique

Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, who also works part-time as a cageside commentator, had a less-than-flattering assessment of Daniel Cormier during yesterday’s UFC 269 pre-fight media day in Las Vegas.

“DC,” himself a former champion-turned-color commentator, was behind the table calling two of “The Dominator’s” previous fights and is expected to return to the mic for the UFC 269 pay-per-view (PPV) card this weekend in “Sin City.”

“The things we talk about privately, we aren’t supposed to say in public,” Cormier told Cruz. “That’s what you just did. That’s our rule. You say so many things privately that I would never say publicly. You and I say things privately that we would never say publicly. Because that was not fair of you as a colleague to do that publicly. You should tell me. As a colleague, a professional courtesy, you don’t do that to your teammates. You don’t go publicly. Those things you don’t say in the public.”

Cruz told the combat sports media that he was forced to mute the television when rewatching his fights to avoid hearing Cormier’s opinion. “The Dominator” also accused “DC” of not watching tape before the fights, leaving him underprepared for his job.

Cruz insists it was just tough love.

“I held you accountable,” Cruz said. “Accountability is love, D.C., accountability is love.”

Cruz, 36, will make his Octagon return against 135-pound veteran Pedro Munhoz on the UFC 269 preliminary card this Sat. night (Dec. 11) inside T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas.