Despite getting a lot of criticism from many in the mixed martial arts (MMA) community for failing multiple drugtests for EPO — which cost him his UFC Bantamweight title and two years away from the fight game — TJ Dillashaw still has a strong support system.
Indeed, TJ’s team is standing behind him even after he admitted to his mistake. According to Cub Swanson, though he and TJ haven’t really spoke about the situation, the team at Treigning Lab as a whole us trying to move on.
“I kind of found out like everybody else. It was quite a shock, because as far as our team, we have standards and stuff like that about being honest and going through stuff. But he’s still a part of our team, and it’s a decision he made. We forgive him for it,” said Cub during a recent media scrum via MMA Junkie.
Still, Cub was bothered by the fact that some starting to point fingers at the entire fight team, probably because members of TJ’s former camp revealed that “Viper” had showed them how to take performance enhancing drugs (PEDs) properly.
Coincidentally, Swanson says he was tested more for his most recent camp than any other before.
“It’s unfortunate. Obviously, I didn’t like being put in pictures and the whole team being accused of stuff – that’s not true. He feels terrible about the whole situation, and the talking’s been pretty minimal (between him and I) because I was training for this fight,” said Cub.
“But we’re working past it. I think it did (shine a negative light on the team). But people can think what they want. I got drug tested more this camp, which is fine. I’m for more drug testing because I don’t do any of that – it doesn’t bother me.”
TJ is eligible to return to action in January of 2021. As for Cub, he is set to face Shane Burgos at this weekend’s (May 6, 2019) UFC Fight Night 151 event in Ottawa, Quebec, Canada.