When Dominick Cruz returns from his third ACL surgery in three years (hopefully this winter), his head coach Eric Del Fierro said he doesn't expect him to be the same fighter he once was.

Del Fierro expects him to be better.

Despite just one appearance in nearly four years due to injury, Cruz (20-1) remains very much in the headlines in 2015. A fight between him and current UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw (12-2) is widely considered one of the best potential matchups in the UFC. If all goes well, Cruz, who underwent ACL surgery in January, should be ready to accept that fight early next year.

It's natural to wonder whether Cruz, 29, will ever be as dominant as he was. He is still officially on an 11-fight win streak and at the time of his first injury in 2011, he was considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in the world.

Del Fierro, Cruz's longtime coach, said there's no doubt in his mind Cruz will regain all he lost -- the biggest reason being, there's no doubt in Cruz's mind he'll regain all he lost. Del Fierro has already seen Cruz come back from injury and look better than he did before. In September, Cruz came off a three-year layoff against Takeya Mizugaki at UFC 178 and finished the fight in one round, something he hadn't done since 2008.

"Dominick's fight IQ is the top of the food chain," Del Fierro told ESPN.com. "He sees fights before they even happen, how they'll play out. His mind has grown. He had to lock himself down and not train because of the injury, but he's gotten progressively better because of his mind alone. The kid had no nerves going into his last fight, which is crazy. His game has somehow evolved."

See below for Del Fierro's comments on Dillashaw's dominant victories over Renan Barao, Cruz's rehabilitation and more.

ESPN.com: Assuming you watched Dillashaw vs. [Renan] Barao II on Saturday in Chicago, what were your general thoughts?

Del Fierro: I think both guys are extremely talented. I think Dillashaw is coming into his own element now and getting real comfortable with his style. He's sharp. Stylistically, he's got Barao's number. Barao is never going to be able to beat that kid. He's too heavy on the counter punches. He's a tailor-made opponent for Dillashaw.

ESPN.com: You surprised at all by Dillashaw's ascension in the bantamweight division -- or is he someone Cruz and the team has had an eye on for awhile?

Del Fierro: We noticed he was coming up the ranks pretty fast. He's a talented kid. We knew he was going to be a force. The main thing he has is an understanding of feints. MMA as a whole misses a lot of reads on how people feint and how they move. TJ has a good understanding of it. Barao's best chance was to come forward and he did come forward for a little bit, but then lost pace.

ESPN.com: There are a lot of comparisons being made right now regarding Dillashaw's style to Cruz's. You see similarities between them?

Del Fierro: They're totally different. I would argue they are completely different, actually. What they both have though is a good read on feints and switching stances. Any footwork might be inevitably compared to Dominick, but I think the real similarity is both guys switching stances and keeping the fight at a high pace. That's literally what drives the 135-pound division. The guy who can keep the higher pace is always the guy who is winning fights.

ESPN.com: Although the UFC title officially belongs to Dillashaw, guessing you still believe the best bantamweight in the world is in your gym?

Del Fierro: Dominick's belief in himself and his skill set its just bar none, unstoppable. Most people who have gone through what he's gone through would probably have quit a long time ago, moved on to something else. If you know Dominick and you listen to Dominick, follow what he's done, his self-belief is the highest I've ever seen and that's what sets him apart.

ESPN.com: That said, do you look at Dillashaw as the champion? Or, since Cruz never lost the title to him, is he still an interim champion in your mind?

Del Fierro: My mental stance is Dillashaw is the champion and we're coming for him. When Dominick had the belt, he still looked at people that way. They're the next challenge. They're the guy you have to knock down.

ESPN.com: Obviously, the last four years have been frustrating as a whole for Cruz and the team. Is not getting the chance to be the one to beat Barao particularly frustrating. This was a guy who was being included in pound-for-pound rankings, hadn't lost in nearly a decade. Was it difficult being on the sidelines, watching Dillashaw dismantle him, especially with so much confidence that Cruz would have done the same?

Del Fierro: No, I mean, there's always going to be a superstar. There's always going to be a next big thing. We can't dwell on what's happened. All we can do is look forward. Dominick has had his share of big fights and he's done his part in putting that division on the map. We all have our story and Dominick is just writing his.

ESPN.com: Cruz has stated he expects to return this winter. After a layoff like this in combat sports, the prospect of a "tune-up" fight is always brought up. What are your thoughts on a "tune-up" fight, three-round vs. five-round?

Del Fierro: The truth of the matter is that he's evolved. He understands a "tune-up" is absolutely nothing. He proved that the last time. Everybody said, "You should take a tune-up before jumping back in for a title." Then he went and did what he did in one minute (61-second knockout over Mizugaki). It all depends on your mental game, meaning your mental toughness, and Dominick is as tough as they come. His mindset is that he looks at every opponent the same. Whether they hold a belt or not, it's a tough, legit opponent and he has go in 100 percent and do what he needs to do. I think by now, we don't believe in this whole "tune-up" fight thing. In this game, if the UFC calls and says, "Hey, we've got a title shot," ready or not, you're not going to pass that up. Chad Mendes just did the same thing. Daniel Cormier did it. A title shot is the only way you make real money in the sport and legitimize yourself.

ESPN.com: Mentally, technically, you've made it clear you believe Cruz will be the same. Physically and athletically, can he be the same after his third knee surgery in three years?

Del Fierro: I can't speak on that until we're in fight training. He's progressing the way he should. We're not pushing him too hard yet. We're letting the physical therapy run its course. I can say that the last camp, before the Mizugaki fight, he was kicking, striking, rolling, wrestling -- whatever we expected and nothing had changed. I think his jab got a little stronger and that was about it. He's doing good.