Dominick Cruz (photo via UFC / YuoTube)

By FCF Staff

Dominick Cruz was quick to protest his stoppage loss to Henry Cejudo last night at UFC 249, and while speaking to the media afterward, he blasted referee Keith Peterson.

Cejudo floored Cruz with a knee to the chin in round two and continued to pound away with punches. Cruz absorbed multiple shots and as he attempted to scramble up-and-out, the fight was stopped.

In his post-fight interview with Joe Rogan, Cruz argued the stoppage had been early. While speaking to ESPN afterward, Cruz had this to say about Peterson (quote via MMA Junkie).

“That was an early stoppage, 100 percent – I’m positive of it,” Cruz said. “I wish there was a way to keep these refs a little more responsible sometimes. The guy smelled like alcohol and cigarettes, so who knows what he was doing. Definitely (he did). I wish they drug tested them. I know Herb Dean is good. He’s one of the best refs. I immediately when I saw that ref I was like, ‘Man, is there a way to veto a ref and get a new one?’ I wonder that.”

“I’m not a guy to make excuses,” Cruz said. “If you put yourself in the position for the ref to mess something up in a stoppage, then you do so.”

Cruz (22-3) was fighting for the first time since 2016 at Saturday’s event. Following last night’s bout, 33 year-old, bantamweight champ Henry Cejudo (16-2) announced he’s retiring.