Ariel Helwani is a name that comes up in the upper echelons of MMA journalists. The Canadian has made a name for himself and his show is one of the most-watched weekly MMA shows in the world. However, it was on this same show that he probably made the biggest botch-up of his professional career.
Helwani has a habit of singing the traditional ‘Happy Birthday’ for the guests who come to his show on their birthdays. In September 2019, he sang the song for Dominick Cruz. That would have been perfectly normal if Cruz’s birthday was on that day. As it turned out, his birthday wasn’t coming for the next six months.
Dominick, being the good sport that he is, actually sang along with Helwani. After thanking Ariel, he told him that it was both his birthday and not his birthday. At first, the journalist thought that Cruz was referring to the time difference since the latter was in Abu Dhabi at the time. However, he later cleared it up that his birthday falls on 9th March.
Ariel Helwani remembers it as one of the low points of his career
Ariel’s expression was priceless when he realised what he had just done. “What! What are you talking about? I thought (your birthday) was Sept. 3rd“, said a visibly surprised Ariel. The natural question that comes up after this is how he got the news of the birthday in the first place. Helwani cleared it up by saying that someone on the internet told him that it was Dom’s birthday.
On @DominickCruz's actual birthday, we flash back to this incredible botch job by @arielhelwani last September 🙈
Happy birthday, Dom. 🥳 pic.twitter.com/5F75IvibfN
— ESPN MMA (@espnmma) March 9, 2020
Cruz, however, took no offence at all. He added that someone has messed up his date of birth on Wikipedia. He also advised Cruz to not take everything he hears on the Internet seriously.
Coincidentally enough, Helwani’s show is also running on Cruz’s actual birthday, 9th March. Ariel Helwani hadn’t forgotten about his embarrassing moment from six months ago. He made it a point to wish Cruz “Happy Birthday” even though he wasn’t present as a guest. “It was one of the low points of my career. However, this time around we have confirmed this with Dom“, said Ariel. He also reiterated what Dominick had told him – “Never trust Wikipedia“.
The former bantamweight champion, Dominick Cruz, has had most of his career marred by injuries. When performing at full throttle, Cruz was, arguably, the most technically sound fighter inside the Octagon. However, his last fight inside in the UFC was more than three years ago, when he lost the bantamweight title to Cody Garbrandt.
Despite being out for so long, his name is still relevant at 135 pounds division. Cory Sandhagen has announced, earlier today, that the UFC has approached him for fighting Cruz. The fight may serve as the No. 1 challenger eliminator fight.
How do you think Cruz would look like in his return to the Octagon?
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