UFC Dark Horse Slams Commentator Dominick Cruz at Noche UFC Event

Martinez, ranked 14th in the bantamweight division, is known for his back leg kicks from a southpaw stance that have led to TKO wins over Cub Swanson and Adrian Yanez, but commentator Cruz has previously said fighters should check Martinez's kicks, a fact that Martinez took umbrage at in recent bouts. UFC X Interview with MMA Junkie.

“I want to be there [Vegas Sphere] “I've heard Dominick Cruz also wants to fight me on the September card, so I'd love to fight him if I could. He always says, 'I don't know why you don't check Jonathan's kicks,' so I'll put him in front of me, let him do it and see what happens,” Martinez said. (From MMA Junkie)

Cruz does not have a fight scheduled yet, but in an interview with Matang Even in April, he said he was interested in a return fight against either Marlon Vera or Henry Cejudo.

“My final battle is [Vera]”That's why I'd be open to a rematch with him,” Cruz said. “I'd be open to a rematch with Henry Cejudo. Those are the two guys I'm looking at right now.”

Perhaps Martinez's call could tempt the former UFC champion into a new fight.

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(Author's opinion)

Leg kicks in MMA

As Cruz said, fighters should have checked Martinez's kicks. Kick checking is so rare in MMA that it's laughable that such a basic defensive technique isn't used more often. The power of the kick check was evident at UFC 303, when Ricky Limon nearly snapped Vinicius Salvador's leg in half with a well-timed knee.

Legendary strikers like Ernesto Hoost win TKOs by blocking their opponents' kicks. MMA fighters take unnecessary damage all the time. But that being said, Martinez's left foot is his biggest weapon and it can't just be blocked.

Martinez's kick

First, in a typical MMA stance, where your hips aren't square and your feet aren't on the ground, it's difficult to get your feet up quickly enough to check. Also, Martinez is good at timing his kicks when his opponent is moving around to his power side or when his opponent is out of rhythm and can't distribute his weight properly.

Additionally, Martinez likes to keep his guard up high before and after kicks to negate any counterattack his opponent might try, which is most effective when his opponent is launching an attack.

Cruise as a style showdown

Cruz's style relies on keeping his head off the center line, hitting without getting hit, and footwork. His style is completely unique and has never been duplicated in the sport, but that also means he has some unique problems.

Cruz will jump back into a square stance, then back into an orthodox stance after gaining distance. He does this to disguise his intentions and set up an attack or feint. If you watch his recent fights you will see him do this frequently. I believe Martinez will use this to win the fight.

During this movement, Cruz is using his lead foot as a springboard, whether it's to launch an unorthodox strike or to get back to a square position, but what Cruz is doing is putting his weight on his lead foot, and the orthodox lead foot is Martinez's favorite target for firing inside low kicks with his back foot.

Both of Cruz's UFC knockout losses were due to this habit: the first, against Cejudo, where he would duck and roll after landing a strike and then land a knee at the center line without guarding his chin, and the second, against Marlon Vera, where Vera caught Cruz with a well-timed head kick as he ducked on his way out.

I think Martinez will quickly find the time to land an inside low kick to shut Cruz down, and I also don't think Cruz has the striking power to stop Martinez from ducking and attacking. All of this, combined with the fact that Cruz is in the twilight years of his career, could lead to a handoff between these two fighters.

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