Two-Time UFC Champion Honored During UFC 324 Broadcast as 2026 Hall of Fame Inductee

"The Dominator" will enter the UFC Hall of Fame in 2026.

(Zuffa LLC)

Two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz is set to be enshrined in the UFC Hall of Fame later this year.

Following a six-week hiatus, the UFC finally made its return tonight with UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, NV. Headlined by an interim lightweight title bout between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett, the event also kicks off the promotion’s new deal with Paramount that will run for the next seven years.

Following Umar Nurmagomedov’s unanimous decision win over Deiveson Figueiredo that closed out the prelims for UFC 324, the promotion announced that Cruz will be the first fighter inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame in 2026.

Bantamweight wouldn't be the same without him 🏆

Congratulations on your UFC Hall of Fame induction, @DominickCruz 👏

[ #UFC324 | LIVE on @ParamountPlus ] pic.twitter.com/ZxC3LyW6tT

— UFC (@ufc) January 25, 2026

Dominick Cruz Was The UFC's Inaugural Bantamweight Champion

After making his pro debut in 2005, Cruz won his first nine MMA fights before he challenged UFC Hall of Famer Urijah Faber for the WEC bantamweight belt in 2007 and was submitted in the first round.

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“The Dominator” rebounded with five-straight wins before he took the WEC belt by handing Brian Bowles his first loss in 2010, and he also defended the WEC title twice before the promotion was purchased by the UFC.

Dominick Cruz (blue) celebrates his win over T.J. Dillashaw (not pictured) in a world bantamweight championship bout at UFC Fight Night at the TD Garden. | Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images

Immediately promoted to UFC champion along with fellow WEC titleholder Jose Aldo, Cruz avenged his loss to Faber in his promotional debut when he took a unanimous decision over “The California Kid” in the main event of UFC 132. Cruz defended his UFC belt against Demetrious Johnson before the first of what became a lengthy list of major injuries that sidelined him for significant portions of his career.

"The Dominator" Overcame Injuries To Reclaim UFC Belt

Forced to vacate his bantamweight title during what became a more than three-year layoff, Cruz returned to the Octagon at UFC 178 and stopped Takeya Mizugaki with strikes in just over a minute.

READ MORE: UFC Pulls Fight From UFC 324 After Fighter Collapses on Stage During Weigh-Ins

The Alliance MMA-product reclaimed the UFC bantamweight title in his next outing against T.J. Dillashaw and improved to 2-1 against Faber when they met in a trilogy fight later that year. An upset-loss to Cody Garbrandt brought an end to Cruz’s second UFC title reign, and it also preceded another long injury layoff that lasted almost four years.

Dominick Cruz (blue gloves) reacts after losing to Marlon Vera (not pictured) during UFC Fight Night at Pechanga Arena. | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

“The Dominator” fell short in another title bid against Henry Cejudo in his return fight at UFC 249 before he won back-to-back decisions in 2021. Cruz took several years off following a knockout-loss to Marlon Vera as he moved into a prominent role as a color commentator for the UFC, and he officially retired from fighting after another injury derailed what was supposed to be his retirement fight against Rob Font last February.

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