Dillashaw on Garbrandt title shot: ‘I blame Dominick Cruz and the UFC for letting his happen’

T.J. Dillashaw has no beef with Cody Garbrandt for the title shot he got, but he definitely isn’t letting Dominick Cruz or the UFC off the hook.

T.J. Dillashaw has a tough opponent in front of him in John Lineker. But he is still really bothered by the fact that he can’t get a rematch against UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. Dillashaw lost his title by close split decision almost a year ago to Cruz, and figured a rematch would quickly be on the horizon. That hasn’t been the case so far.

Cruz ended up fighting (and beating) Urijah Faber, and now he’s scheduled to face Faber’s teammate Cody Garbrandt – both guys that were a little bit down the rankings list when the fights were booked. In a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Dillashaw aimed his ire directly at Cruz himself (along with the UFC) for the fights he’s taking (via MMA Fighting):

“I don’t blame Cody for getting his title fight at all. Anyone in the UFC, that should be your goal, to get the UFC belt and to fight for that title. He should push for that as much as he wants. I blame Dominick Cruz and I blame the UFC for letting this happen. It’s kinda, I feel, making a mockery of the sport by letting a No. 8 ranked fighter for the title. Why’d he jump seven guys to be able to fight for the belt? It just doesn’t make sense at all.”

…

“Cruz is kinda hand-selecting his fights and the UFC is letting him do it. And it don’t understand why. I know it’s some sort of politics. I don’t know if it’s because Dominick Cruz is in the media and he’s part of FOX. I don’t know if they’re trying to pump him up, for whatever reason. I don’t know what he does for them other than act like an idiot. But it’s something. It just doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense that he’s going to fight No. 8 ranked guys, No. 6 ranked guys, and I’m fighting No. 1 ranked guys and I can’t get a title shot back again.”

Dillashaw, who has his own history with Garbrandt as well due to his long tenure at Team Alpha Male, believes Cruz will end up being the young fighter. If he does though, he thinks that Cruz will continue to duck him for the rest of his career:

“I highly believe that,” Dillashaw said. “I believe that Cruz is going to try to do whatever he can to not fight me until he retires. Him trying to talk about how he wants these superfights and big-money fights. It’s like, I don’t even think you’re the best in the world and you’re trying to dodge me as long as you possibly can, because you know that I’m going to beat you. I fought him with emotion the first time and still beat him, and he knows that, and his coaches know that, and my coaches know that, and I know that. So, he’s going to do whatever he can to not fight me again.”

Dillashaw is coming off a win over Raphael Assuncao at UFC 200, and meets Lineker this weekend at UFC 207. Cruz and Garbrandt will settle their differences in the co-main event of that show in Las Vegas.

T.J. Dillashaw has no beef with Cody Garbrandt for the title shot he got, but he definitely isn’t letting Dominick Cruz or the UFC off the hook.

T.J. Dillashaw has a tough opponent in front of him in John Lineker. But he is still really bothered by the fact that he can’t get a rematch against UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. Dillashaw lost his title by close split decision almost a year ago to Cruz, and figured a rematch would quickly be on the horizon. That hasn’t been the case so far.

Cruz ended up fighting (and beating) Urijah Faber, and now he’s scheduled to face Faber’s teammate Cody Garbrandt – both guys that were a little bit down the rankings list when the fights were booked. In a recent appearance on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Dillashaw aimed his ire directly at Cruz himself (along with the UFC) for the fights he’s taking (via MMA Fighting):

“I don’t blame Cody for getting his title fight at all. Anyone in the UFC, that should be your goal, to get the UFC belt and to fight for that title. He should push for that as much as he wants. I blame Dominick Cruz and I blame the UFC for letting this happen. It’s kinda, I feel, making a mockery of the sport by letting a No. 8 ranked fighter for the title. Why’d he jump seven guys to be able to fight for the belt? It just doesn’t make sense at all.”

…

“Cruz is kinda hand-selecting his fights and the UFC is letting him do it. And it don’t understand why. I know it’s some sort of politics. I don’t know if it’s because Dominick Cruz is in the media and he’s part of FOX. I don’t know if they’re trying to pump him up, for whatever reason. I don’t know what he does for them other than act like an idiot. But it’s something. It just doesn’t make sense. It doesn’t make sense that he’s going to fight No. 8 ranked guys, No. 6 ranked guys, and I’m fighting No. 1 ranked guys and I can’t get a title shot back again.”

Dillashaw, who has his own history with Garbrandt as well due to his long tenure at Team Alpha Male, believes Cruz will end up being the young fighter. If he does though, he thinks that Cruz will continue to duck him for the rest of his career:

“I highly believe that,” Dillashaw said. “I believe that Cruz is going to try to do whatever he can to not fight me until he retires. Him trying to talk about how he wants these superfights and big-money fights. It’s like, I don’t even think you’re the best in the world and you’re trying to dodge me as long as you possibly can, because you know that I’m going to beat you. I fought him with emotion the first time and still beat him, and he knows that, and his coaches know that, and my coaches know that, and I know that. So, he’s going to do whatever he can to not fight me again.”

Dillashaw is coming off a win over Raphael Assuncao at UFC 200, and meets Lineker this weekend at UFC 207. Cruz and Garbrandt will settle their differences in the co-main event of that show in Las Vegas.