T.J. Dillashaw was once considered one of the best pound-for-pound fighters in mixed martial arts (MMA), but now the former UFC bantamweight champion can’t even lift his arm above his shoulder.
It’s no secret that injuries have prevented Dillashaw from coming back to fighting. The most difficult ailment that Dillashaw has had to deal with has been a serious issue with his shoulder. In fact, his last appearance against Aljamain Sterling for the UFC bantamweight title at UFC 280 just over two years ago was cut short by a dislocated shoulder. It popped out early into the fight and allowed Sterling to finish Dillashaw with ground-and-pound in the second round.
Earlier this year, Dillashaw revealed that his retirement from fighting is “depressing” and that he doesn’t know if his shoulder is “ever going to be the same again.” The now 38-year-old would probably still be competing in the UFC’s bantamweight division if he could train and fight without issue, but his shoulder is an absolute mess.
Fight fans may not have known the severity of Dillashaw’s shoulder injury until earlier this week when the former UFC champion tried lifting his arm above his head. His shoulder wouldn’t budge. It was an eye-opening moment for one of the better fighters of the past 10 years.
Check it out below:
| TJ Dillashaw shows off the current state of his shoulder and confirms that he will not be coming out of retirement due to his ongoing shoulder issues.
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“It doesn’t hurt. It just doesn’t work,” said Dillashaw.
Unless something changes quickly fight fans will never be able to see Dillashaw compete again. That goes for any other combat sport outside of MMA, including grappling and bare knuckle boxing. The former UFC champion can’t do much of anything with his left arm these days.