T.J. Dillashaw: Trash talk by Dominick Cruz's doesn't change that 'I'm a better fighter'

It’s clear UFC bantamweight champ T.J. Dillashaw is going to have a hard time keeping up with Dominick Cruz in any verbal exchanges prior to their title clash on Sunday at UFC Fight Night 81.

For Dillashaw (12-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC), however, it’s not about who gets the better of the other in the media. All he cares about is beating Cruz (20-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) in the FOX Sports 1-televised headliner at Boston’s TD Garden. And when it comes to fighting ability, Dillashaw said he’s way ahead of the game.

“He just doesn’t mind talking sh-t, but I’m just not one of those guys,” Dillashaw told MMAjunkie. “I show a little bit more respect and I’ve always been a respectful opponent. You can’t change the fact I believe in myself and think I’m a better fighter.”

Dillashaw has been a target of plenty of verbal abuse from fellow fighters in recent months. Following his well-documented departure from Team Alpha Male last year, Dillashaw was heavily criticized by former teammate Urijah Faber for moving to Colorado’s Elevation Fight Team. Cruz has continued to pick at that wound since and has also berated Dillashaw’s level of intelligence.

Despite Dillashaw’s position as champion, which is typically conducive to receiving respect, Cruz has not hesitated to give Dillashaw a verbal lashing at every opportunity. That approach may fluster some fighters, but Dillashaw said he doesn’t take anything personally and has brushed off all of Cruz’s attempts to stir the pot.

“I just laugh it off; you can let him talk crap in the media but it’s not going to matter in the fight,” Dillashaw said. “You got to learn to deal with this stuff and it’s what I’m going to have to deal with for the rest of my career. Faber’s jut pushing for a title fight. I just came to Colorado for a coach that I’ve been working with for a lot of my career and I’m in a great place. I’ve been pushing hard and feeling great.”

Dillashaw, No. 1 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie MMA bantamweight rankings, isn’t a well-polished and crisp speaker on the level of No. 2-ranked Cruz, but he has plenty of reasons to be confident going into his third 135-pound title defense. The most prominent of those reasons is his rate of activity compared to that of his opponent.

It’s secret to no one that Cruz has been on the sidelines nursing injuries for the majority of the past four years. He’s competed just once since 2011 and has undergone a bevy of surgeries in that time. Miraculously, however, Cruz has managed to regain his health and move into position to regain the bantamweight title, a belt he never lost but rather was forced to vacate due to his inability to stay healthy.

Cruz may have been on top of the game when he held the title long ago, but Dillashaw said he thinks certain members of the division have passed him by. Dillashaw said he’s one of them, despite his belief that Cruz is still perhaps his most dangerous and threatening foe.

“He’s definitely a very, very tough challenge; you can’t underestimate the guy just because he’s been out,” Dillashaw said. “He was on top for a reason but I feel like I’ve done what it takes to grow past his status. I believe I’m the better fighter and I believe I have the better skills. I’m a little bit hungrier and it’s going to be a great fight.

“He’s fought one time in the last four years so there’s not much to go off of, but we’ve seen some of his fights. He’s got some habits of what he does and we’re going to look to get to those. I definitely see some situations in my head that I see coming true the night of the fight.”

The fight between Dillashaw and Cruz has been in the making for several years. The matchup could arguably determine the greatest bantamweight fighter in the short history of the weight class, which means there’s more at stake than just UFC gold. Dillashaw said he’s aware what a victory over Cruz would do for his career, and while the ex-champ is talking, the current one is doing everything possible to make sure he keeps his spot.

“I get to fight Dominick Cruz, he’s got a good name it’s going to improve my name toward being the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world,” Dillashaw said. “It’s my time to be on top.”

For more on UFC Fight Night 81, check out the UFC Rumors section of the site.