T.J. Dillashaw, who was suspended for a banned substance in 2019, is one of USADA’s most-tested UFC fighters of 2021.
Sports fans – particularly combat sports fans – can be unforgiving towards PED users. Whether you’ve been accused or there’s concrete proof, you can pretty much consider yourself persona non grata among your audience once you’ve tested positive for a banned substance.
Former UFC champion T.J. Dillashaw knows this all too well. After popping for EPO in 2019 that ultimately cost him his title, the 35-year-old admitted he felt the “karma” of his actions for a long time.
But these days, Dillashaw is showing he can turn over a new leaf. In USADA’s list of most-tested UFC fighters for 2021 (via MMA Junkie), T.J. is among the top three with a total of 25. Former middleweight title contender Paulo Costa, who’s had his fair share of PED-related controversies, also made the list with a total of 23.
Also on the list is former bantamweight champion Miesha Tate, who tied with Abu Azaitar and Dricus Du Plessis with 24.
Here’s the full top ten list:
- Misha Cirkunov – 27
- Ottman Azaitar – 26
- TJ Dillashaw – 25
- Miesha Tate, Abu Azaitar, Dricus Du Plessis – 24
- Paulo Costa – 23
- Charlie Ontiveros – 19
- Askar Mozharov – 18
- Jairzinho Rozenstruik – 17