Casey Kenney unfazed by Dominick Cruz’s style: ‘I think he was very unique five, 10 years ago’

LAS VEGAS – Casey Kenney has watched Dominick Cruz for almost a decade. On Saturday, he’ll get to watch him while trying to knock the former UFC bantamweight champion’s head off.

Kenney (16-2-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) and Cruz (22-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC) will square off in the featured preliminary card bout of UFC 259, the final fight before the event switches over to pay-per-view. Kenney has always been confident he’d get there, but his faith in big-name matchups won’t numb the moment.

“To get that name was pretty surreal,” Kenney told reporters, inclduing MMA Junkie, at a pre-fight news conference Wednesday. “Like I said, I feel like I’m in the exact position I should be. Dominick Cruz is the kind of guy I got into this sport to fight. What a better way to take out a legend.”

Cruz, 35, has been a professional MMA fighter since early 2005. He’s been in numerous major title fights, won multiple major promotional championships and headlined many cards. Throughout his tenure in the spotlight, Cruz long has been admired for his funky, unorthodox style. While Kenney credits his abilities, he thinks over the years Cruz’s stylistic mystique has faded.

“I think he was very unique five, 10 years ago,” Kenney said. “But guys switching stances, doing their footwork, all that stuff, that’s something I’ve been seeing my whole career almost. So the preparation was pretty similar. I tried to get some of the best looks I could for Dominick, but mainly sharpen myself.”

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A win over Cruz would be a feather in his cap, but Kenney won’t consider himself title-shot worthy unless he rattles off a couple more wins afterward.

“I don’t think this fight puts me in the title contention, but it puts me right in the direction I need to be,” Kenney said. “(If) I knock off three fights this year and I win all three, I should be knocking at that title (shot’s) door.”

That said, if offered the shot, Kenney would take it. Should UFC bantamweight champion Petr Yan or challenger Aljamain Sterling pull out of his title fight scheduled for UFC 259, Kenney would gladly step in.

“I’m definitely not the one that’s making that decision, but I would definitely step in and fight Yan or Sterling, no problem,” Kenney said.

UFC 259 takes place Saturday at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The main card streams on ESPN+ pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and early prelims on ESPN+.

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