Dominick Cruz Offers Invaluable Advice To Sean O'Malley About Being UFC Champion: 'Now You've Said Things That Puts Your Butt On The Line!'

Former two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz recently had some wise words for Sean O'Malley. 

'Sugar' is the current 135lbs kingpin, having defeated long-time champ Aljamain Sterling last year at UFC 292. At UFC 299, the rainbow-haired knockout artist will make his first defense opposite old rival Marlon 'Chito' Vera. 

'Chito' handed O'Malley the sole loss on his professional MMA record way back at UFC 252 with a first-round TKO. 

"Get Healthy" - Dominick Cruz On Sean O'Malley

During a recent appearance on the The Anik & Florian Podcast, 'The Dominator' shared his thoughts on Sean O'Malley's injury woes. After UFC 292, 'Sugar' revealed that a painful rib injury had prevented him from even training in grappling properly for the fight. 

'Sugar' has often dealt with poorly timed injuries during his UFC career, including a bad case of drop-foot mid-fight during his loss to 'Chito'. 

Cruz explained that MMA is as much a psychological test as it is a physical one. As a champion, Sean O'Malley already has a target on his back, something that is only exasperated by his confident self-promoting. 'The Dominator' suggested O'Malley should focus above all else on ensuring he's in good health and form before proving his worth as a champion in the Octagon. 

"This is a mental game, it's a longevity sport," Cruz explained. "You can't have stuff like that nagging at you, so as champion, having all these people wanting to take him out, he's very famous, and he's got a- he talks a lot too. So all that's gonna, you know, do more to getting healthy, now you got to get healthy because your butt's on the line, you've said things that put your butt on the line, so get healthy, get in there, and prove it."