Cruz inagaw ang titulo kay Dillashaw

BOSTON — Muling napasakamay ni Dominick Cruz ang UFC bantamweight title matapos talunin ang dating kampeong si T.J. Dillashaw via split decision kaha­pon sa TD Garden.

Nakahugot si Cruz (21-1) ng mga iskor na 48-47 at 49-46, habang tumanggap ng 49-46 si Dillashaw (13-3) sa ka­nilang five-round bout.

Napuwersang isuko ang UFC bantamweight crown bunga ng ilang ser­ye ng knee injuries, mu­ling lumaban si Cruz sa unang pagkakataon ma­tapos noong 2014 at ikalawa sapul noong 2011.

Ginawa naman ni Dil­lashaw ang kanyang pangatlong sunod na ti­tle defense para sa ban­tam­weight belt.

“There’s no such thing as rust,” sabi ni Cruz ng San Diego, Ca­lifornia. “Rust is only something you get when you don’t train hard. I’ve seen fighters do what T.J. does, but he’s fas­ter.”

Pinatumba ni Cruz si Dillashaw ng Denver at ginamit ang kanyang footwork para kontrolin ang kanilang distansya.

“I’m very disappoin­ted,” wika ni Dillashaw. “I felt like I was the aggressor and landed the big­ger shots. I’m not a fan of his antics, but congratulations to him.”

Sa co-main event, bi­nigo ni Eddie Alvarez (27-4) si dating lightweight champion An­tho­ny Pettis (18-4) sa isang three-round fight.

Sa iba pang laban, pi­nigil naman ni heavyweight contender Travis Browne (18-3-1) si da­ting  NFL player Matt Mitrione (9-5) sa third round, habang umiskor si lightweight Francisco Trinaldo (17-4) ng three-round unanimous decision laban kay Ross Pearson (20-10).