• UFC 132

Cruz reveals what 'really p***es him off' about Faber

Dominick Cruz has only been beaten once © Getty Images

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UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has detailed the background behind his hatred of Urijah Faber, insisting it dates back to the California Kid's popularity in their WEC days.

The only loss of Cruz's career came against Faber back in 2007, when he was submitted by a guillotine choke. That was for the featherweight title, but now the pair will square off for the 135lb crown in what will be Cruz's UFC debut at UFC 132.

A winner of eight straight fights, Cruz admits he has only just realised how to act like a champion, conceding he has missed out on an army of fans due to his lack of media sptotlight.

"I used to be one of those fighters who thought that all being a fighter -- or a champion -- involved was training hard and winning in the cage," he wrote in his blog for Sportsnet.

"I didn't appreciate that I wasn't just a champion for the 25 minutes or less I was actually defending my belt, but that being a world champion is a 24-7 job and involved a lot of time and effort outside of the gym.

"I didn't understand that fans were interested in talking to you on social media and reading about you in interviews; maybe I was naive but I figure they just wanted to see you fight, say thanks for the support, and leave so they could watch the next fight."

Cruz's UFC 132 rival Faber could barely be more different. He is a fans' favourite, loved in all circles of MMA, and he will dominate support in Las Vegas on July 2. It is this popularity, defined by an offending poster, that riles Cruz.

"What does piss me off -- even to this day -- is just how much Faber was the favourite in the WEC," he said. "When I fought Faber for the featherweight title four years ago, I wasn't even on the poster. To me, that's just plain disrespectful.

"Fighting for a world title is something even very good fighters never get the chance to do, it is something your entire family, your friends and your gym are proud of. For the entire poster to be of Urijah -- as if he was fighting himself or something -- was just completely disrespectful but it tells you all you need to know about how he was the golden boy, the face of the WEC.

"When I was asked to autograph the poster, I did it all over his face. It was my own way of making the poster. Faber didn't like it and people still talk about it to this day."

Plenty of chat has passed between the two fighters ever since, and Cruz admits that when it all boils down, he simply does not like Faber.

"Even if all this hadn't have happened, I'd still dislike Urijah Faber. In life, you just come across people you just don't like. You've probably got someone at your work or a friend of a friend who you just can't get along with for some reason. Faber and I are like that.

"Uriah Faber can be remembered as the face of the WEC. That's fine, that's cool. But what he won't be remembered for is being the UFC bantamweight champion. Faber has wanted to be a UFC champion literally since he was a kid. It's going to be a great night -- making history in the UFC and avenging my only loss against someone I've no time for all in one fight."

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