Garbrandt: We Knew What Dillashaw Was On
Cody Garbrandt is open to fighting TJ Dillashaw a third time.
Garbrandt returned to winning ways with his impressive second-round knockout win over Raphael Assuncao at UFC 250 last night. It ended a three-fight losing streak for “No Love” who will now look to continue climbing up the ladder with hopes of becoming a bantamweight champion again.
Of course, he lost his bantamweight title to TJ Dillashaw and would lose to him again in their rematch — both times by knockout. However, Dillashaw would vacate his title last year after receiving a two-year suspension from USADA following a positive test for EPO.
Garbrandt had been highly vocal about Dillashaw’s steroid use even before the latter popped and undoubtedly feels that played a factor in their two fights. Regardless, the former champion is willing to face Dillashaw and get those losses back should the opportunity arise.
“We’re talking about TJ who is still suspended,” Garbrandt responded at the UFC 250 post-fight press conference when asked if he would like a third fight with Dillashaw. “He’s not even here but that’s a fight I’d like to get back. I mean, we all knew what he was on. We knew what he was doing. It took so many times for him to skate by USADA unfortunately. He’s serving a sentence. He’s going to always have to live with that for the rest of his life. He has a child that has eyes on him that knows his dad was a cheater. The whole world looked up to him, a lot of young kids.
“It’s sad, I kind of feel bad for the guy. He has no confidence that he has to use those kinds of aids to be a fighter. But we’ll see. I’m going to be after a world championship, I’m going to be at the top. So if he works his way back up there? Open doors, let’s get it.”
Do you think a trilogy between the pair goes a different way?