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A22 Cruz regains UFC title outpointing Dillashaw

SPORTSTuesday 19 January 2016 BOSTON (AP) — Dominick faster.” Dillashaw twice with dou-
Cruz regained the UFC Cruz took down Dillashaw, ble leg shots.
Copa del Rey Preview: bantamweight title Sunday from Denver, in each of the Dillashaw landed two kicks
night, outpointing T.J. Dil- first four rounds and used to the head in the third,
Barcelona could face Athletic lashaw by split decision at his footwork to control the opening cuts on Cruz’s lips
Bilbao in Copa without Messi the TD Garden. distance for most of the and next to his left eye. Cruz
Cruz (21-1) received win- fight. still stayed out of range for
HAROLD HECKLE ning scores of 48-47 and “I’m very disappointed,” Dil- most of the round and
Associated Press 49-46, and the other judge lashaw said. “I felt like I was scored another double-leg
MADRID (AP) — Defending champion Barcelona scored the five-round bout the aggressor and landed takedown.
looks set to be without three key players — including 49-46 for Dillashaw (13-3). the bigger shots. I’m not a Dillashaw sustained a cut
Lionel Messi — when it travels northwest for its Copa Forced to relinquish the title fan of his antics, but con- along the left eye in the
del Rey quarterfinal match at Athletic Bilbao.
With Luis Suarez suspended, Jordi Alba sidelined with Dominick Cruz, top, throws a punch against TJ Dillashaw during a UFC bantamweight title match
a right leg injury and Messi recovering from what Bar- Sunday, Jan. 17, 2016, in Boston. Cruz regained the UFC bantamweight title Sunday night, out-
celona said was “discomfort” in his right leg, coach pointing Dillashaw by split decision.
Luis Enrique will need to shuffle his normal starting
lineup for what will be a rematch of last year’s final. (AP Photo/Gregory Payan)
On paper, Barcelona is the overwhelming favorite,
having humbled Athletic 6-0 in the league on Sun- because of a series of knee gratulations to him.” Cruz fourth, but scored his first
day and come away the 3-1 winner in last season’s injuries, Cruz fought for the took down Dillashaw once takedown of the fight, slip-
final. first time since 2014 and the in the first round, grabbing ping behind Cruz and forc-
However, Messi and Suarez are the mainstay of Luis second time since 2011. Dil- a leg while Dillashaw was ing him to the mat.
Enrique’s attack, scoring 48 goals for Barcelona this lashaw was making his third throwing a kick. Toward In the fifth, Cruz kept cir-
season, with the remainder of his forwards — Ney- title defense. the end of the round, Cruz cling. Late in the round, Dil-
mar, Munir El Haddadi and Sandro Ramirez — con- “There’s no such thing as fought off a takedown at- lashaw landed a knee to
tributing just 26. rust,” said Cruz, from San tempt from Dillashaw. the midsection.
The first leg of this season’s encounter will be in Bil- Diego. Cruz used his foot speed in In the co-main event, Ed-
bao on Wednesday, with the return match at the “Rust is only something you the second round, moving die Alvarez outpointed for-
Camp Nou on Jan. 27. get when you don’t train in and out of range to land mer lightweight champion
In the other quarterfinals, Spanish league leader At- hard. I’ve seen fighters do punches. In the final minute Anthony Pettis in a three-
letico Madrid travels to Celta Vigo while Valencia what T.J. does, but he’s of the round, he downed round fight. q
hosts recently promoted Las Palmas from the Ca-
nary Islands and Sevilla will welcome Mirandes, the Ronaldo: Zidane has raised Madrid spirits
only second-division team in the draw.
Messi spent most of Monday morning at a Barcelona HAROLD HECKLE Ronaldo, who scored twice, py about how things are
clinic undergoing tests after having been substituted MADRID (AP) — Real Ma- says Zidane has “a different going.”
at half-time during Sunday’s match. Barcelona de- drid has trained hard un- concept” of football and Under Zidane, Madrid has
scribed the substitution as “a precaution” after the der new coach Zinedine “sees the game differently” had two five-goal league
Argentine forward had complained of “a sore ham- Zidane and recovered its to previous coach, Benitez. wins, with consecutive vic-
string.” After the tests, a club statement ruled out a enthusiasm following the Part of the change comes tories over Deportivo La
hamstring injury. departure of Rafa Benitez from Zidane’s insistence Coruna and Sporting Gijon.
Midfielder Sergi Roberto said he hoped Messi and according to star forward on “keeping possession of “I honestly notice an im-
Alba would recover rapidly, but added he was will- Cristiano Ronaldo the ball in the opponents’ provement in the team’s
ing to play in whatever position Enrique chose for Speaking after Sunday’s half,” Ronaldo says. With attitude with Zidane’s ar-
him. 5-1 win over Sporting Gijon, half of the season still to rival,” said Ronaldo. “
“We have to be wary of the Athletic club in the Ronaldo said the results of go, Ronaldo says the team The players feel a little more
Copa because it will play at home in front of its fans “a week of hard work” are hopes to reach the end of empathy for Zidane, do
who are very demanding,” Roberto said. visible on the pitch, with the the Spanish and Champi- not ask me why because
Here are some things to know about this week’s squad “in good spirits with ons leagues feeling as posi- I couldn’t tell you, that’s
Copa del Rey quarterfinal matches: Zidane.” tive, adding “we are hap- football.”q

DETERMINED COACH
Atletico coach Diego Simeone is determined to fo-
cus exclusively on his next target. “My message is
let’s not look beyond our match against Celta,” he
said after beating Las Palmas 3-0 on Sunday.
Simeone congratulated Filipe Luis who opened
the scoring and Antoine Griezmann who netted a
brace. He said Griezmann was attaining a scoring
regularity “that speaks volumes about his quality.”
Simeone praised Griezmann’s flexibility. “I won’t
place him among the best in the world, simply invite
him to carry on improving,” he said. “Apart from his
natural talent, he can play on the right, on the left
and has ended up as a forward.”

ON COURSE, JUST
Valencia coach Gary Neville’s best hope of winning
silverware this season is the Copa, but he will need to
get his squad to improve in attack and defense. His
club is currently 11th in the league after losing 2-0 at
Real Sociedad and drawing 2-2 against 18th-place
Rayo Vallecano.q