UFC Fight Night 81's Daron Cruickshank: 'Desperate animal is going to fight for its life'

BOSTON – Lightweight Daron Cruickshank’s career with the UFC has been bumpy to say the least.

A no-contest due to accidental eye poke and a pair of submission losses have shoved the “Detroit Superstar” into the corner, and the way he sees it, he’s got only one way out.

“I look at it as live-or-die,” Cruickshank (16-7 MMA, 6-5 UFC), who on Sunday meets Paul Felder (10-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 81 at Boston’s TD Garden, told MMAjunkie. “The winner gets to stay, and the loser gets to go. That’s the thing with the UFC – you can’t lose more than two in a row, and that’s how I look at it. That’s what’s motivating me.”

Cruickshank was forced to undergo surgery for the eye poke and later lobbied for stiffer penalties against the foul. There was no mistaking the outcome of his subsequent fights, however, with a two consecutive tapouts. He needs to turn things around, quick.

Felder is also under the gun having lost his past two bouts after a sensational spinning backfist knockout one year ago. Cruickshank said he’s been here before and managed to survive, so it shouldn’t be any different this time around.

The two headline the UFC Fight Pass portion of the card in what Cruickshank expects to be an intense fight. He certainly plans to do his part in that respect.

“A desperate animal is going to fight for its life,” he said.

For more on UFC Fight Night 81, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.