UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo said he wants to “reserve judgement” toward T.J. Dillashaw’s positive drug test.
Henry Cejudo is sympathetic toward T.J. Dillashaw in light of his positive drug test.
The UFC flyweight champion, who knocked out Dillashaw at January’s UFC Brooklyn, spoke to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani on Wednesday about the news.
“I feel bad for him,” Cejudo said. “Obviously, you have your own exceptions out there. Some people have been wrongly accused in the past. But people like Lance Armstrong or Marion Jones — and I’ve looked up to her in the past — they have to live with the regret and the dishonesty for the rest of their lives. I honestly feel bad for them.”
Dillashaw announced Wednesday morning that there was an “adverse finding” in one of his drug tests in relation to the Cejudo fight. The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) gave Dillashaw a one-year suspension and a $10,000 fine. Dillashaw is still facing sanctions from USADA, the UFC’s anti-doping partner, who confirmed Wednesday that a Jan. 18 test resulted in an “adverse analytical finding.” Dillashaw, then-the bantamweight champ, fought Cejudo for the flyweight title on Jan. 19.
Dillashaw also relinquished the UFC bantamweight title in light of the positive test.
“I want to reserve judgement, but I also want to stay I never wish to anyone who uses PEDs again,” Cejudo said. “There’s no place for that in MMA. This isn’t baseball or basketball. This is another human being with four-ounce gloves hitting another human being.
“Prayers to him and his family.”
Cejudo defended his 125-pound title for the first time against Dillashaw, who had the opportunity of becoming a two-division champion. Cejudo won the belt last August with a victory over Demetrious Johnson.
Before Dillashaw failed the drug test, a rematch against Cejudo was the planned next title fight at bantamweight. It is unclear who will fight for the vacant title in Dillashaw’s absence.