UFC 249: Dominick Cruz says ref ‘smelled like alcohol and cigarettes’ in TKO loss to Henry Cejudo
- Former bantamweight champion Cruz loses in title fight to Cejudo after four years out of the Octagon
- Cruz insists he was ‘standing up to my feet’ before Cejudo secured the second-round TKO win on Saturday
Dominick Cruz accused referee Keith Peterson of “smelling like alcohol and cigarettes” after a controversial second-round stoppage in his title fight loss to Henry Cejudo at UFC 249.
Cejudo (16-3) timed a kneed to Cruz’s head in the second round, causing the former bantamweight champion to fall to the ground.
Peterson waived the fight off with two seconds left in the round after Cruz took several punches to the head, though “The Dominator” appeared to be working his way to his feet.
“I mean, totally cognizant is hard to say – you’re rocked, sometimes you get hit,” Cruz said on ESPN’s post-fight show. “I’ve been in those positions many, many times, though, and I had seconds left in the round.
“And I just think sometimes I wish that there was a way to keep these refs a little more responsible. The guy smelled like alcohol and cigarettes, so who knows what he was doing.”
Seemingly stunned by the statement, ESPN reporter Megan Olivi asked Cruz “really?”