Tag: T.J. Dillashaw

T.J. Dillashaw Plans To Beat ‘Douche’ Cory Sandhagen, Reclaim 135lb Title

T.J. DillashawT.J. Dillashaw will make his return to the octagon against bantamweight contender Corey Sandhagen as the main event of UFC Fight Night on May 8th. Coming off his USADA suspension, Dillashaw is not here for the trash-talking Sandhagen is sending his way. In a recent interview with Brett Okamoto for ESPN, Dillashaw addressed Sandhagen’s comments about […]

T.J. Dillashaw

T.J. Dillashaw will make his return to the octagon against bantamweight contender Corey Sandhagen as the main event of UFC Fight Night on May 8th. Coming off his USADA suspension, Dillashaw is not here for the trash-talking Sandhagen is sending his way.

In a recent interview with Brett Okamoto for ESPN, Dillashaw addressed Sandhagen’s comments about his suspension and title contention. (H/T MMAFighting.com)

“He’s become a little bit of a douche lately, talking that s*** which he’s gotta do, that’s the name of the game, but I like Cory Sandhagen. I like all of his coaches, I like Elevation Fight Team, but that’s the business. We’re gonna get out there, we’re gonna handle it, and I’m gonna come back and get my belt.”

While showing Sandhagen some respect, Dillashaw went on to further explain his frustration. “Oh just talking s*** about how me failing a drug test and then something about me taking the worst steroid you could possibly take. Which I wasn’t even taking a steroid,” Dillashaw added. “Just running his mouth on certain interviews and stuff of things he knows is complete nonsense. Just pumping himself up and making himself feel like he’s got a chance in this fight.”

Sandhagen’s comments have struck a nerve with the former champ, likely since they previously trained together. Things went south when Sandhagen’s post-fight comments after his KO of Frankie Edgar threw shade at Dillashaw. Sandhagen even went further to insinuate that Dillashaw didn’t want to fight him. Sandhagen suggested Dillashaw was ducking him by getting the title shot to then refuse to fight him if he won.

Now that the fight is official, Dillashaw is excited about his return. “It wasn’t the only option, but it is the one that is great,” Dillashaw commented. “I love this fight. He’s got a lot of hype behind him. He has two good wins, people are blowing him up right now, but it’s such a good fight for me to get right back on top, right where I left off. I’ll have the belt around my waist by the end of the year.”

Whether or not Dillashaw will regain title in 2021 remains to be seen. However, fight fans everywhere should be excited for the fireworks to come from his match-up with Sandhagen.

Do you think T.J. Dillashaw defeats Corey Sandhagen on May 8th?

Dominick Cruz Reflects On Victory Against Kenney At UFC 259

At UFC 259, former 2X bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz turned back the clock with an emphatic victory over the young Casey Kenney. Inside the UFC APEX facility, the bantamweight clash was the featured preliminary bout. Anticipation was palpable as m…

At UFC 259, former 2X bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz turned back the clock with an emphatic victory over the young Casey Kenney. Inside the UFC APEX facility, the bantamweight clash was the featured preliminary bout. Anticipation was palpable as many wondered if the 35-year old Cruz could pick up his first win since 2016, and […]

T.J. Dillashaw Voices Interest In Eventual Rematch With Henry Cejudo

DillashawSet to make his first Octagon appearance since completing his two-year retroactive USADA suspension back in January in the coming months, T.J. Dillashaw has revealed he’s open to a potential future re-run against Henry Cejudo. Dillashaw, a former two-time undisputed bantamweight champion last featured against the Olympic gold medalist and former two-weight world champion at […]

Dillashaw

Set to make his first Octagon appearance since completing his two-year retroactive USADA suspension back in January in the coming months, T.J. Dillashaw has revealed he’s open to a potential future re-run against Henry Cejudo.

Dillashaw, a former two-time undisputed bantamweight champion last featured against the Olympic gold medalist and former two-weight world champion at UFC Fight Night Brooklyn in January of 2019, dropping a quickfire opening round knockout loss as he unsuccessfully challenged for flyweight gold in his divisional debut.

The 35-year-old was slapped with a two-year retroactive suspension by anti-doping agency, USADA following the matchup, after he was informed some “adverse findings” had come to light in both a pre and post-fight drug test he had provided. Relinquishing his championship, Dillashaw tested positive for the banned substance, EPO (erythropoietin). 

Consistently calling for an immediate title tilt in his return to the Octagon, Dillashaw maintains he never actually lost his bantamweight crown, given the fact he relinquished the title rather than losing it in active-competition.
Whilst yet to be booked officially for his Octagon comeback, Dillashaw was asked by former UFC welterweight contender, Mike Swick recently about his interest in avenging the above mentioned knockout loss to the now-retired Cejudo.

“I haven’t thought about a hit list exactly right, but yeah, he’s (Henry Cejudo) on it,” Dillashaw said during a recent episode of Real Quick with Mike Swick. “Just you saying his name it’s like, ‘Oh god,’ you know? ‘The King of Cringe’ did a good job of being cringy. It’s one of those fights that I was so much better going into that fight — don’t take anything away from him [though]. I think he’s an amazing athlete for winning an Olympic gold medal. I give him more credit for being an Olympic gold medalist than I do winning a UFC championship and that’s something because I’ve wrestled my whole life, that is quite amazing. But I’m so much of a better fighter than him — well-rounded wise.“

Cejudo, who retired following his successful bantamweight title defence against common-opposition, Dominick Cruz in May of last year, may have gained Dillashaw’s respect from his Olympic gold medal triumph, however, the Angels Camp native believes Cejudo isn’t as good as he perceives himself to be.

“The way that his (Cejudo’s) career worked out and the way that he stepped away from it was just like, he got so lucky,” Dillashaw said. “So that’s a fight that I want back because I don’t think he’s as good as he thinks he is, so that’s for sure on my hit list. First and foremost, (the) hit list for me, is just getting my belt back. Whatever path I have to take to get there, if it’s fighting all the guys in the top-five first, if it’s going straight to the belt, and then making sure I defend it and make a statement.“

Cory Sandhagen: I Don’t Think T.J. Dillashaw Wants To Fight Me

SandhagenFresh off the back of a stunning, flying knee knockout of former UFC lightweight champion, Frankie Edgar, Cory Sandhagan has claimed that former two-time bantamweight titleholder, T.J. Dillashaw doesn’t want to fight him, but still remains timorous that the Californian will leapfrog him and fight for the championship next. Taking co-main event honours at UFC […]

Sandhagen

Fresh off the back of a stunning, flying knee knockout of former UFC lightweight champion, Frankie Edgar, Cory Sandhagan has claimed that former two-time bantamweight titleholder, T.J. Dillashaw doesn’t want to fight him, but still remains timorous that the Californian will leapfrog him and fight for the championship next.

Taking co-main event honours at UFC Vegas 18 last weekend at the UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas, Nevada, Sandhagen blasted through the number-four ranked Edgar with a brutal flying knee stoppage just twenty-eight seconds into the opening round — surely stamping his status at the next title challenger behind incoming chaser, Aljamain Sterling.

Slated to attempt the first defence of his 135-pound crown, incumbent gold holder, Petr Yan meets with one-time foe of Sandhagen, Sterling at UFC 259 in March. And promotional perfect striker, Yan has previously noted his interest in matching with Dillashaw in his return after he knocks back Sterling.

Extending his winning-run to two-fights with a pair of stunning knockout wins over one-time title challenger, Marlon Moraes and the above mentioned, Edgar, Sandhagen claimed it would be “garbage“ if Dillashaw made his return from a two-year USADA suspension and fought for the title before he did. 

Hoping to clash with either Yan or Sterling for the undisputed championship next, Sandhagen has stated that would be willing to meet with Dillashaw to further cement his status as the number-one contender to the title at bantamweight, however, claimed the Angels Camp native has no interest in standing across from him. 

“I called out T.J. (Dillashaw) and Frankie (Edgar), right?” Sandhagen replied when asked by ESPN MMA reporter, Ariel Helwani if his fight with Edgar made sense given his upward trajectory. “I would’ve prefered to fight T.J. — I can’t really think of any reason in my head why it wasn’t T.J. that was in that cage with me last weekend instead of Frankie, other than T.J.’s just trying to get an easy shot at the title just ’cause he’s a big name and this famous dude.“

“I don’t know why that wasn’t T.J.,” Sandhagen said. “So it was either T.J. or Frankie — T.J. probably said no, so it ended up being Frankie.“

Sandhagen continued and explained how off the back of his devastating stoppage of Edgar, he believes Dillashaw would still reject a matchup with him if the UFC attempted to book them together.

“Yeah, I do, that’s probably what happened,” Sandhagen said. “If you look at his social media, it’s all road to recovery stuff, ‘Oh the comeback’ and blah blah blah. The guy was supposed to be back in January — the time would’ve been perfect for us to fight. And he didn’t. So I don’t know what that’s about — I don’t think he wants to fight.“

“I’m worried that T.J.’s gonna fight for the belt before me, and still not want the fight,” Sandhagen said. “And then me (sic) be stuck in this limbo thing because T.J.’s a bigger name and maybe he gets to call the shots a little bit more, I don’t know. That’s more of what I’m worried about, I don’t think T.J. wants to fight me.“

Completing his two-year retroactive suspension on January 19th. — USADA notified Dillashaw of a potential anti-doping policy violation following his January 2019 knockout loss to Henry Cejudo at UFC Fight Night Brooklyn, after one of his in-competition test samples returned a positive test for the banned substance, EPO (erythropoietin).

Dillashaw is currently free to return to active competition and continue his professional mixed martial arts career, however, an opponent for his Octagon return has yet to be nailed down, with the Bang Muay Thai trainee consistently claiming the bantamweight championship belongs to him still, while the UFC also fail to rule him from an immediate title shot upon his return. 

Cory Sandhagen Echoes Bantamweight Peers About TJ Dillashaw

You can add Cory Sandhagen’s name to the list of bantamweights who do not believe T.J. Dillashaw should receive a title shot when he returns to active competition. T.J. Dillashaw has been cleared to return from his 2019 USADA suspension since January, …

You can add Cory Sandhagen’s name to the list of bantamweights who do not believe T.J. Dillashaw should receive a title shot when he returns to active competition. T.J. Dillashaw has been cleared to return from his 2019 USADA suspension since January, yet there still has been no word on who he will be facing […]

Frankie Edgar Believes T.J. Dillashaw Must Earn Title Shot On Return

Frankie Edgar provided an honest ssessment of T.J. Dillashaw and where he fits in the current bantamweight landscape when he returns from his USADA suspension. After T.J. Dillashaw’s 2019 USADA suspension for EPO, the UFC bantamweight division has been…

Frankie Edgar provided an honest ssessment of T.J. Dillashaw and where he fits in the current bantamweight landscape when he returns from his USADA suspension. After T.J. Dillashaw’s 2019 USADA suspension for EPO, the UFC bantamweight division has been undergoing some major shuffling. One of the changes in the deck is the entry of former […]