"For me, fighting for a world title is all the motivation I need to get ready for a fight, period," Cruz told MMAjunkie.com (
UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com). "Adding the fact that Faber is a [expletive] just makes it a little easier, you know?"
Much has been made of the bad blood between the two, but Cruz said he's not letting the rivalry affect his approach to his coaching gig or the upcoming fight.
"It's not really that big of a deal," Cruz said. "It's part of the sport. There are people you don't like. It's part of life, dealing with people you don't like."
Of course, unlike most people in this world, Cruz doesn't have to bite his tongue when dealing with said people.
"How many people go to work every single day and have to work for somebody they don't like?" Cruz asked. "That's an everyday thing for everybody around the entire world, and they just have to listen to that guy. The difference is, how about if you get to beat your boss' ass? I get that opportunity.
"Faber is far from my boss, but I work with him, and now I get to beat him up at the end of the season. It's actually not a bad thing. I look at it as, 'I'm working a job, and I dislike somebody I work with, and I get to beat him up at the end of the work day.'"
"I feel like a lot of times that's what happens when you get to the championship level," Cruz said. "I haven't necessarily been fighting anybody outside of the top five for the past two-and-a-half years. Everybody has been in the top five or the No. 1 contender. I've held the belt longer than anyone in the division so far. I've got more title defenses than anyone in the division. I've fought everybody in the division that's in the top five. Nobody else can say that except for me at 135 pounds. I've also got three 'Fight of the Night' awards.
"I'm doing things a little bit differently. I don't have all the finishes that some of these guys have, but it comes with time. I'm going out there and not taking a lot of damage, taking people down a lot, beating them up on my feet and just going in there and kind of winning five-round unanimous decisions by going out there and confusing people and making people not understand why they can't hit me, why they're losing certain situations. That's kind of what the style is about. The way I fight is kind of like I get you to give me what I want you to give me, and then I take it from you."
