5 UFC stars whose careers were harmed by ongoing injury issues

#2. Dominick Cruz – former UFC bantamweight champion

Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has been unlucky with injuries over the years

Former UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has always suggested that the idea of 'ring rust' is a myth. It's probably safe to say that few are more qualified to make such a claim. 'The Dominator' ranks up there with the most unlucky fighters in UFC history when it comes to injuries.

Cruz's issues first began in 2012. After making two successful UFC bantamweight title defenses in 2011, he was pegged to coach the 15th season of The Ultimate Fighter alongside old rival Urijah Faber, with the idea being to build a rematch between the two.

Unfortunately, that never happened, as Cruz blew his ACL out during the tapings of the show. Incredibly, due to complications arising from his knee surgery, he wound up on the shelf for a ridiculous two years and eleven months. He was also forced to give up his title in the process.

'The Dominator' finally returned to action at UFC 178 in September 2014, nearly three years after his last fight. He showed no signs of any issues when he smashed Takeya Mizugaki in the first round.

That was enough for the UFC to offer him a shot at the title he never lost, but somehow, he managed to blow out the ACL in his other knee, forcing him onto the shelf for more than a year once again.

Cruz then stunned everyone by returning in January 2016, somehow showing no rust whatsoever in a fight with TJ Dillashaw that saw him regain the UFC bantamweight title.

It was one of the most inspiring performances in UFC history and appeared to mark a new beginning for ‘The Dominator’. He fought twice more that year, ending it with a loss to Cody Garbrandt.

Unfortunately, things didn’t work out that way. A myriad of injuries meant that Cruz would not fight again until May 2020 – three-and-a-half years after his clash with Garbrandt.

Cruz now appears to be healthy and is competing again on a regular basis, but quite what he could’ve accomplished had he avoided injuries will always be a source of frustration for both him and UFC fans.

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#1. Cain Velasquez – former UFC heavyweight champion

Cain Velasquez could've gone down as an all-time UFC great were it not for his injuries

There are plenty of “what if?” questions in UFC history, but one of the biggest surrounds former UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez.

Still widely recognized as one of the greatest heavyweights in UFC history, quite what Velasquez could’ve accomplished had he been able to remain healthy remains mind-boggling.

The Mexican-American debuted in the UFC in 2008 and climbed the ladder to dethrone Brock Lesnar for the UFC heavyweight title just over two years later, despite suffering numerous injuries in the process.

Unfortunately, those injuries continued to mount during his title reign. A shoulder injury ruled him out of a year of action following his title win. When he lost his crown to Junior dos Santos upon his return, a knee injury was widely blamed.

Velasquez recovered in 2012 to reclaim his title, but after defending it twice, a knee injury ruled him out of the entirety of 2014.

He made his return in 2015 but didn’t look like the same fighter in his UFC heavyweight title loss to Fabricio Werdum. Following that defeat, he spent over a year on the shelf rehabbing even more injuries.

Velasquez fought just once in 2016 – a win over Travis Browne – before a chronic back injury then sidelined him until 2019, when he lost to title to Francis Ngannou. He also blew out his knee in the process.

Months later, Velasquez retired from MMA, after somehow only fighting eight times in the nine years that followed his initial title win.

Had he remained healthy, it’s hard to argue with the idea that he’d have been considered the greatest heavyweight in MMA history. However, as it is, he feels more like a huge missed opportunity.