Former bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw was scheduled to take on reigning champion and bitter rival Cody Garbrandt in the main event of July 8’s UFC 213 in Las Vegas, Nevada, but “No Love” was forced to withdraw from the bout after suffering back issues.
When news broke indicating that Garbrandt was unable to compete, Dillashaw proposed an intriguing idea that involved him dropping down to 125 pounds to take on dominant flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson. UFC President Dana White liked the idea as well and even went as far to say that the UFC is targeting the bout for August.
“Mighty Mouse” hasn’t showed much interest in the bout, but Duane Ludwig, Dillashaw’s head coach, feels as if there’s no better time for the ex-champion to drop down in weight:
“If there’s any time for TJ to drop down to 125, the sooner the better,” Ludwig recently told BJ Penn Radio . “He won’t be able to make ’25 as the years go on and he matures and gets bigger. If there’s any time to do it, it’s now.”
Ludwig also revealed that Dillashaw is working with a new strength and conditioning coach in order to get his weight down, while adding in that he expects his star pupil to become a two division world champion:
“He’s working with Sam Calavitta, who is a really good strength and conditioning coach who also has the dieting down,” Ludwig said. “So it’s working out well that we do fight Demetrious. We split up the camp to a month later [in August] and have more time to work with Sam Calavitta and get the weight down, get nice and strong at belt weight, get the belt, pop back up to 135 and get that belt either later in the year or next year.”
Dillashaw’s next fight has not yet been finalized, but who would you like to see him face next?
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