Dominick Cruz beats TJ Dillashaw at UFC Fight Night 81 to regain bantamweight title and end his injury heartache

Cruz beat Dillashaw by split-decision in just his second fight in the past four years

Dominick Cruz celebrates winning the UFC bantamweight title after beating TJ Dillashaw (Getty Images)

Dominick Cruz regained the UFC bantamweight title Sunday night, outpointing TJ Dillashaw by split decision at the TD Garden.

Cruz (21-1) received winning scores of 48-47 and 49-46, and the other judge scored the five-round bout 49-46 for Dillashaw (13-3).

Forced to relinquish the title because of a series of knee injuries, Cruz fought for the first time since 2014 and the second time since 2011. Dillashaw was making his third title defense.

Cruz took down Dillashaw in each of the first four rounds and used his footwork to control the distance for most of the fight.

"Honestly, nobody's retiring me except for me," Cruz said in the Octagon afterwards.

In the co-main event, Eddie Alvarez won a three-round split decision against former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis. Also on the main card, heavyweight Travis Browne stopped Matt Mitrione in the third round, and lightweight Francisco Trinaldo won a three-round unanimous decision over Ross Pearson.

AP