Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw reveals when he believes he will finally step away from combat sports.
Dillashaw returned to the bantamweight division after a long layoff when he battled Cory Sandhagen in an explosive July main event. In the five-round war, Dillashaw found himself in trouble early. After spending too much time in a submission hold, the former 135-pound titleholder endured multiple tears in his knee. Luckily, his ACL was not torn during the scuffle.
Despite the early adversity, Dillashaw managed to secure some takedowns and earned the victory in one of the closest fights of the year. Following the contest, Dillashaw shared that he would be on the mend for the next three months.
In a recent appearance on The MMA Hour, Dillashaw was asked if he would fight until he was 40-years-old. The California native shared when he might hang the gloves up and no longer compete in MMA. In addition, Dillashaw underlined that his financial security will keep him from overstaying his welcome in the fighting business.
“I don’t know. I mean, that’s what great. I don’t have to put a timeline on it, and I also don’t have to say that I have to fight till I’m 40 because I need the money. It’s all about how I feel, and what my career’s doing, and how I’m performing,” Dillashaw said.
“I guess my answer would be if I can’t say that I’m the best bantamweight in the world, the best whatever division I’m in, then I’ll retire. If I don’t have a true chance of becoming a champion, then what’s the point of chasing this? Especially when you don’t have to do it for the paycheck.”
With intentions of recapturing the bantamweight title, in the meantime, it’s safe to say the #2-ranked Dillashaw is not going anywhere. Dillashaw was unable to step in on short notice to face Petr Yan due to injury, so Cory Sandhagen will fight Yan instead. When the smoke clears after UFC 267, surely the former champion will be right on the precipice of challenging for gold once again.
Who do you think TJ Dillashaw should fight next?
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