Dominick Cruz Says UFC Rankings Are Really About Contracts, Not Competition

“My experience, the way the rankings are made are according to how you wrote your contract last,” Cruz explained. “So if I renegotiate my contract, get paid like a title challenger, and then lose a fight, I’m still making that money. You’re telling me I just lost and they’re going to rank me No. 10? They’re not going to pay me title money for that. So the true ranking is how much your contract is written for.”

In Cruz’s view, the UFC is incentivized to keep highly paid fighters in prominent spots, even after losses, in order to justify the investment.

A Career Lived in the System

Cruz knows the business well. For years, he operated in the championship pay bracket. While competing in high-profile fights against stars like Urijah Faber, Cody Garbrandt, T.J. Dillashaw, and Henry Cejudo. Despite injuries that limited his activity, he consistently received marquee matchups a reflection, he believes, of the UFC’s desire to get value from the money on his deal.

“Even if I lost the title, even if I lost two in a row. They’re still giving me top 5 because I’m getting paid so much they want to see me get beat to death for that money,” Cruz said.