Photo by Michael Owens/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC
TJ Dillashaw is working hard to keep his name in the combat sports headlines, in hopes that mixed martial arts (MMA) fans, or more importantly matchmakers, won’t forget about him during his two-year suspension handed down by United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA).
In fact, the former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight champion, who failed to capture the 125-pound crown from Henry Cejudo, is convinced the sport cannot live without his brand of excitement, one of many reasons he’s expecting a title shot upon his 2021 return.
“That bantamweight division needs me back,” Dillashaw told Helen Yee (transcribed by BJPenn.com). “They need the entertainment back and they need me to come back and throw some wrinkles in the weight class and create some tension. That is my weight class, I had to give that belt up and fair enough, I understand, I fucked up, and I had to relinquish it. But I didn’t lose. That’s my belt, I’m still calling it my belt. I’m still the champion of the world. When I come back I will reclaim it.”
Dillashaw (16-4) established himself as one of the most dominant bantamweights in UFC history, racking up an 8-2 record over the last six years with five knockout finishes, including a pair of stoppages over heated rival and former teammate, Cody Garbrandt.
While a lot can change between now and early 2021, it helps that reigning flyweight champion, Henry Cejudo, is also holding the bantamweight belt because “Triple C” will be splitting his time between two divisions, brining the 135-pound assembly line to a crawl.
So … anyone object to Dillashaw’s request?