Whenever healthy, UFC bantamweight Dominick Cruz is one of the best MMA fighters in the world, unfortunately, in recent years, those instances have been few and far between. Since October 2011, the former WEC and UFC bantamweight champion has fought only once, suffering knee injury after knee injury. He came back to fight in UFC 178 last September, but suffered yet another tear to an anterior cruciate ligament shortly after.

He's lost his belt, and has dropped out of the rankings due to inactivity. And that has taught Cruz a lesson in patience, as MMA Weekly reports.

"My goal is to try to be back by the end of the year," the 29-year-old said. That's my goal. I've already had my title stripped. I've already been dropped out of the rankings. What do I need to rush for is the way I'm thinking right now. Every thing that I've earned has already been taken from me," Cruz said in a recent interview with Inside MMA.

He added," I want to go out, into this next fight, very healthy, and I definitely want to fight for the title. I don't care who has it. I believe I'm the best in the world. I believe I never lost that position. The only thing that we're waiting for is for me to come back and earn it."

Cruz was sidelined for almost three years before getting back in the Octagon to knock out Takeya Mizugaki in the first round of the UFC 178 fight. He has not lost since losing to Urijah Faber at WEC 26 back in March of 2007, a loss he eventually avenged via unanimous decision at UFC 132.

Cruz's former title is now held by TJ Dillashaw, who will be defending it against former champion Renan Barao at UC on FOX in Chicago this Saturday.