Newly-crowned UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz has to be on something of a high. While life hasn't changed overnight for the Alliance MMA fighter, a lot has. Cruz returned from something approximating four years of accumulated injury time off to defeat T.J. Dillashaw on Sunday to become the champion again. In the interim, he's grown his profile as a television analyst for the Fox family of networks as he covers various UFC events.

Still, he isn't sure exactly how company brass feels about him. When asked by Ariel Helwani on Tuesday's The MMA Hour if there was a hint of tension between he and UFC President Dana White, Cruz seemed unsure of how to describe their relationship.

"I don't know," Cruz confesses. "I always feel a little tension from Dana to me. I don't know why. He never really completely takes my side when it comes to decisions in fights that I've made. I think that he believes that fight could've easily gone the other way.

"You never know with Dana," Cruz continues. "He likes certain styles. He likes certain fights. You just hope he backs up somebody like me who has done so much on Fox to promote the UFC, promote all these events. Even when I was injured, I did everything I can for his company as an employee. Then I went in there and did that the other night. I hope I have his support, but you can't ever tell with Dana."

In fairness to White, Cruz notes, there could be any number of explanations for why White doesn't outwardly show effusive praise. Not least of those reasons is White's notoriously hectic work schedule or perhaps something else unknown. Whatever the case, he's not one to speculate.

"It's nothing personal with me," Cruz says. "It's just a question of you never know what's going through Dana's head at any given time. He could be upset about very many different things. The guy's got a lot of responsibilities, so I'm not going to sit here and try to pretend I know what's going through Dana's mind. No way."

In fact, Cruz says, despite him not receiving any warm congratulations backstage after his historic win on Sunday, he harbors no ill will towards White or UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta. If anything, he says he's understanding of their predicament.

"Think about how many shows they go to, Ariel," Cruz explains, "and then you gotta think after they get done with their show, they're probably ready to get on their jet and get out of there ASAP, I think. They have big jobs and big money to make and a million different places.

"It might be one of the more important steps in my life. For them, it's just another fight show," he observes. "It doesn't really surprise me I didn't hear a whole lot. They shook my hand while I was in there. The one thing they did ask me was how I was after the fight. That was it and that was in the cage when I was still hurting. My adrenaline was still pumping. I remember there was a little bit of frustration after I was celebrating the win. He was like, 'Here, you put it on him'. He gave them the belt, he didn't want to put it around my waist. I was hopping around too much.

"You just don't know," he says. "I need to sit down and talk with those guys face to face and see what's going on."

According to Cruz, he's still on his contract for from years ago, itself only a partial upgrade from the WEC contract that proceeded it. His priority is to speak to White and Fertitta both to ascertain where there are any differences between he and they, but to also lobby for additional payment. Cruz believes the time off meant lost money and the new reality as reigning champion means he's entitled to more.

"There's just a lot of talking we gotta do," he notes. "I think I do a lot for this division and I've done a lot for the UFC, not just for myself, but for their organization. I just want to make sure they know I'm a team player and I'm trying to do what I can to help them out, too."

Cruz has not been shy to mention money on more than one occasion. At the post-fight press conference, Cruz noted, "My knee is good. It was my left foot. I had a foot injury when I came in. Plantar fasciitis tendonitis, lots of golfers get it. I wish I was a golfer, it would be a lot easier, and more money."

The bantamweight champion believes he wasn't necessarily being abrasive or argumentative. He does note, however, there's factual basis to his claims and more importantly, he's in a different state of mind after a fight. There's a little bit of rawness to his words that one ordinarily doesn't get.

"The only thing that happens is, I get done with the fight and they shove microphones in my face," he explains. "I fought for five rounds. It was a tough fight. A lot of energy was exerted. My adrenaline's pumping, I'm just out of the press conference and then you're going to shove a camera in my face and put a microphone.

"You know what ends up happening, Ariel, is I'm me. You get me," Cruz continues. "You just get 1,000 percent me. Sometimes it's better if I can keep my candy-coated shell on because it kinda saves some live scenarios. I guess when I was in that situation I was speaking my mind, speaking my soul. When it comes down to fighting and making money and playing golf and making money, it's not like I lied. Telling me that playing golf isn't easier on my body and more money, I mean, I don't think that's an argument."

Cruz, who has developed his public speaking and analytical skills during his injury time off, ultimately points to his candor as a benefit. Perhaps it is driving a wedge between he and UFC management or maybe it's not. There's no way to tell, he notes. Either way, though, Cruz believes it's better he be candid than any other alternative.

"It was just me talking, man," he argues. "It was just me being me. At least you know I'm not out there trying to pretend something I'm not."