Tag: T.J. Dillashaw

T.J. Dillashaw Expects ‘Easy’ Title Fight Against Aljamain Sterling: ‘He’s Not Championship Calibre’

T.J. DillashawFormer two-time UFC bantamweight champion, T.J. Dillashaw has claimed that a future championship challenge against current division titleholder, Aljamain Sterling would be “easy” for him from a stylistic viewpoint, claiming that the Uniondale gold holder is not “championships calibre”. Dillashaw, a former two-time undisputed bantamweight champion, most recently featured back in July in his return […]

T.J. Dillashaw

Former two-time UFC bantamweight champion, T.J. Dillashaw has claimed that a future championship challenge against current division titleholder, Aljamain Sterling would be “easy” for him from a stylistic viewpoint, claiming that the Uniondale gold holder is not “championships calibre”.

Dillashaw, a former two-time undisputed bantamweight champion, most recently featured back in July in his return from a two-year retroactive USADA suspension – headlining UFC Vegas 32 in a close, debated split decision win over common-opponent, Cory Sandhagen.

The victory returned Dillashaw to the winner’s enclosure after he suffered a one-sided first round knockout loss to former flyweight champion, Henry Cejudo in the main event of UFC Fight Night Brooklyn in January 2019.

In the time since his victory over Sandhagen, Dillashaw has been recovering and rehabilitating after suffering a knee injury against the Colorado native, but is still expecting to challenge for Octagon gold in his immediate return to active competition.

T.J. Dillashaw received a call out from Aljamain Sterling after UFC 273 this month

Appearing at UFC 273 earlier month in Jacksonville, Florida – Dillashaw was the subject of a call out from undisputed bantamweight best, Sterling, who welcomed a title defense against the Angels Camp native next.

Sharing his thoughts on a fight with Sterling in his return to the Octagon, Dillashaw claimed that a title affair with the New York native would be relatively easy work for him from a stylistic viewpoint.

“I’m not too worried about (Aljamain) Sterling, that call out, (it’s) a pretty easy fight for me to be honest,” T.J. Dillashaw said during a recent interview with ESPN MMA. “And maybe I’ll just to my training camp here on the beach with drink in hand and get the job done, you know.” 

“I think it’s gonna be real good,” T.J. Dillashaw explained. “Congratulations to him (Aljamain Sterling) in implementing his game plan in the fight, and he showed some weaknesses in (Petr) Yan. But, yeah, stylistically that fights perfect for me. He can say anything he wants, but he ain’t gonna be champion for much longer.”

Dillashaw then claimed that Sterling offers no real danger to him, and whilst he complimented the attributes he possessed to land him a championship, all-in-all, he does not believe Sterling is of a championship calibre.

“I mean, he’s good – don’t get me wrong,” T.J. Dillashaw said. “He’s got some attributes. He wouldn’t be were he is if he wasn’t good, but he’s definitely not champion calibre. The guys that I’ve fought already in the past – much better than he is, more dangerous. There’s no danger fighting Sterling… there’s no way he’s going to be out-grappling me, his striking is straight pathetic. I’m surprised he is where he is. And stylistically, it’s a good fight for me.”

Sterling Explains Why Dillashaw Would Be An Easy Fight, Warns Fans

UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling is already envisioning how he gets it done against TJ Dillashaw. Having defended his title against interim champion Petr Yan at UFC 273, Sterling chose to call out another former champion of the division in Dillashaw. Ever since the callout, the Jamaican has had second thoughts on his choice of…

Continue Reading Sterling Explains Why Dillashaw Would Be An Easy Fight, Warns Fans at MMA News.

UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling is already envisioning how he gets it done against TJ Dillashaw.

Having defended his title against interim champion Petr Yan at UFC 273, Sterling chose to call out another former champion of the division in Dillashaw. Ever since the callout, the Jamaican has had second thoughts on his choice of contender saying José Aldo was more deserving of a title shot based on “merit.”

Aldo has won three fights in a row against top-ranked bantamweights in Marlon Vera, Pedro Munhoz, and Rob Font. The former UFC featherweight champion has the legacy of a legend, challenging Dillashaw’s call for a title shot.

The UFC bantamweight champion has now spoken of why he believes a fight against Dillashaw would work in his favor, with the former champion not bringing anything to the table that could threaten his reign. Sterling even warned fans to go watch boxing if they don’t want to see him wrestle the contender.

“Obviously I called out T.J. Dillashaw,” said Sterling on his YouTube channel. “That’s the fight I think that should happen next, it’s the biggest fight right now I think in this bantamweight division.

TJ Dillashaw
TJ Dillashaw (Image Credit: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC)

“The only thing about TJ is he’s only won one fight by a very marginal gap over Sandhagen, a guy I finished really really quick and then Sandhagen just had a really really good fight with Petr Yan. So I know he keeps saying ‘easy money,’ but I don’t see where the easy money is. I’m a hard guy to hit, so I don’t see TJ coming out here trying to do this switch stance, karate chop b*llshit. I’m not gonna be there to get hit by that. You’re gonna have to wrestle.

“And at the end of the day, people don’t have to like it. If you don’t like it, go watch boxing. ‘Cause I’m telling you right now I’m gonna punch him in the face and then look to take him down over and over and over for 25 minutes.

“And TJ’s smaller than Petr Yan. So when I take him down, I know that guy ain’t getting up that little squirrely little b*stard I locked that man up in this freaking body triangle that guy is as good as done you know.”

Sterling has already outgrappled and submitted Sandhagen, whom Dillashaw beat via split decision, and now “The FunkMaster” sees a similar route to victory against Dillashaw.

Do you see TJ Dillashaw as an easy title defense for Aljamain Sterling?

Continue Reading Sterling Explains Why Dillashaw Would Be An Easy Fight, Warns Fans at MMA News.

T.J. Dillashaw: ‘Aljamain Sterling Doesn’t Have That Fighting Spirit In Him’

TJ DillashawT.J. Dillashaw thinks that Petr Yan will beat Aljamain Sterling with ease in their rematch in April. Yan was close to defeating Sterling at UFC 259 until he threw an illegal knee strike in the fourth round which rendered Sterling unable to continue. This disqualification resulted in Yan losing his bantamweight title. Since that mishap, […]

TJ Dillashaw

T.J. Dillashaw thinks that Petr Yan will beat Aljamain Sterling with ease in their rematch in April.

Yan was close to defeating Sterling at UFC 259 until he threw an illegal knee strike in the fourth round which rendered Sterling unable to continue. This disqualification resulted in Yan losing his bantamweight title.

Since that mishap, Yan beat Cory Sandhagen at UFC 267 for the interim title and is set to run it back with Sterling again at UFC 273 in April. While fans wait for the decisive battle between these two, other notable fighters have their own opinion on how they think the rematch will go down.

T.J. Dillashaw recently told ESPN that he doesn’t see Sterling being able to make the necessary adjustments to get the win in this one. (H/T mmajunkie.com)

“My money’s on Yan, just to see the way that fight went down and kind of see Aljamain just break and give up and really didn’t have much for him,” Dillashaw said. “I was kind of expecting Sterling to give him a lot more trouble in the grappling aspects and the takedown, and Yan just kind of shrugged him off like he had no strength. I don’t know if there’s much you can change with that, that mentality. and Yan’s a killer.”

Dillashaw continued to go at Sterling, saying that he doesn’t have the same killer instinct that he or Yan has.

“You see the way he fights, he stays real tight, stays clean, and he’s just got the mentality that he’s a fighter,” Dillashaw added on Yan. “You got those competitors, you got athletes, and then you got fighters. Guys like myself and guys like Yan are the full package – you do all of them – where I feel like Sterling’s more of maybe a competitor or an athlete. He doesn’t have that fighting spirit in him. He’s a little bit weak when it comes to that.”

Dillashaw, who is currently recovering from a knee injury, is targeting a return in the summer and wants the winner of Yan/Sterling.

Do you agree with T.J. Dillashaw’s opinion of Aljamain Sterlings killer instinct?

Aldo Targets Dillashaw Clash On Sterling/Yan 2 Undercard In 2022

With a victory over Rob Font at UFC Vegas 44 this weekend, José Aldo will be targeting a title eliminator against TJ Dillashaw in 2022.

After falling short of the vacant bantamweight gold against Petr Yan last July, not many would have expected Ald…

José Aldo, TJ Dillashaw

With a victory over Rob Font at UFC Vegas 44 this weekend, José Aldo will be targeting a title eliminator against TJ Dillashaw in 2022.

After falling short of the vacant bantamweight gold against Petr Yan last July, not many would have expected Aldo to mount another title run. At the time, the Brazilian was 3-5 since his first UFC defeat versus Conor McGregor, with setbacks against Max Holloway, Alexander Volkanovski, and a controversial decision loss to Marlon Moraes in his 135-pound debut.

But since a brutal TKO at UFC 251, Aldo has won back-to-back contests and established himself back into title contention. A unanimous decision triumph over Marlon Vera last December put him in the bantamweight win column for the first time, before a similar result against perennial contender Pedro Munhoz in August this year cemented his place in the top five.

“Junior” will look to climb closer to the top step when he collides with Font in this Saturday’s main event.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CWlmBcRNwRo/

Aldo Aims To Use Font & Dillashaw To Get Back To The Title

Despite certainly having his hands full with Font, who’s regarded as one of the top strikers in the division and has won his last four Octagon outings, Aldo still has one eye on the future. And should he emerge victorious inside the Apex, the veteran has his sights set on one top contender.

During an appearance on MMA Fighting’s Portuguese-language podcast Trocação Franca, the former UFC Featherweight Champion acknowledged that a clash with TJ Dillashaw could happen in 2022 if he can extend his winning streak to three on December 4. In a perfect world, Aldo says it would go down on the same card as the unification bout between Aljamain Sterling and interim titleholder Petr Yan.

“It might happen. The fact Sterling is injured and we don’t know when he’s coming back, that (Dillashaw fight) could indeed happen in the future. Dillashaw and I, I don’t know if right now or in the near future, we want this fight. It’s a great fight for both of us, the UFC and the fans, so we’d all agree. I don’t know if it could be on the same card (as Sterling vs. Yan 2). If it is, I’ll be ready. My history is rich, so is his, and we need to make this fight.” (h/t MMA Mania)

Nevertheless, Aldo knows he can’t take Font lightly. This weekend will mark the 34-year-old’s second UFC main event of the year. In the UFC Vegas 27 headliner, Font outpointed former champ Cody Garbrandt across five rounds.

Prior to that, the Massachusetts native recorded victories over Sergio Pettis, Ricky Simon, and “Magic” Moraes. He’ll be looking to spoil Aldo’s plans and book a title eliminator for himself on Saturday.

Would you like to see the winner of José Aldo vs. Rob Font face TJ Dillashaw next year?

Continue Reading Aldo Targets Dillashaw Clash On Sterling/Yan 2 Undercard In 2022 at MMA News.

Petr Yan Would Rather Fight Dillashaw Than “Chicken” Sterling

Former UFC Bantamweight Champion Petr Yan has claimed he’d rather fight TJ Dillashaw than run it back with “chicken” Aljamain Sterling. Yan and Sterling collided earlier this year at UFC 259. After extending his UFC record to 7-0 with a relentless TKO victory over José Aldo last July, “No Mercy” reached the 135-pound mountaintop and […]

Continue Reading Petr Yan Would Rather Fight Dillashaw Than “Chicken” Sterling at MMA News.

Former UFC Bantamweight Champion Petr Yan has claimed he’d rather fight TJ Dillashaw than run it back with “chicken” Aljamain Sterling.

Yan and Sterling collided earlier this year at UFC 259. After extending his UFC record to 7-0 with a relentless TKO victory over José Aldo last July, “No Mercy” reached the 135-pound mountaintop and looked set for a successful reign as champion. That narrative was firmly established in the opening three-and-a-half rounds of his first defense against Sterling.

However, after being on track for a comfortable retention, Yan saw the title ripped from his grasp after he landed an illegal knee on a downed Sterling, who became the first champion in UFC history to be crowned via disqualification. In the following months, the pair developed a bitter rivalry, accentuated by Sterling’s decision to delay a second fight with the Russian by undergoing neck surgery.

After a lengthy period of back-and-forth on social media and in interviews, the pair’s rematch was arranged for UFC 267 in Abu Dhabi. However, after failing to receive medical clearance due to the lingering issues from his operation, “Funk Master” withdrew from his first defense. In his place has stepped #3-ranked contender Cory Sandhagen, who will clash with Yan for the interim belt in this weekend’s co-main event.

Yan Targets Dillashaw Fight If He Wins Gold In Abu Dhabi This Weekend

The situation is far from ideal for Petr Yan, who was hoping to regain the title that he believes he never legitimately lost. The Russian has consistently made his opinion on Sterling’s absence known. Now, with the champ set for further months on the sidelines, Yan doubts the extent to which Sterling’s neck is still injured.

During a recent appearance on The MMA Hour, Yan admitted he was disappointed not to be running it back with his bitter foe. He also doubled down on his confusion over why Sterling chose to have surgery after winning the title, and branded recent videos of “Funk Master” sparring in the aftermath of his UFC 267 withdrawal as “ridiculous.”

“Of course, i wanted to regain my belt in the rematch with Sterling, but as we all know, he ran away like a sneaky fox… Nothing personal, it’s just, you know, his decision to make this surgery right now. I don’t know why he hadn’t done it earlier or maybe later in his career. But now he has the whole division in a mess.

“When people have a neck pain, i don’t see them sparring with someone without any headgear, you know. It’s just ridiculous,” said Yan via a translator.

Discussing what’s next if he’s victorious against “The Sandman” this Saturday, Yan surprisingly suggested he’d rather face #2-ranked bantamweight TJ Dillashaw than Sterling. If he wins the interim gold, most would be expecting the Russian to meet the champion in a unification bout. However, with Dillashaw suggesting Sterling may never compete again, perhaps the door for a clash with the former two-time champ will be open for Yan.

“I don’t know what will be next. Maybe it will be Sterling, maybe it will be Dillashaw. I don’t want to fight with Sterling. He’s chicken. He’s not good, not good guy. I want to fight, maybe, with Dillashaw.”

After serving a two-year suspension following a positive EPO test in 2019, Dillashaw returned to the Octagon at UFC Vegas 32 in July. Without taking a tune-up fight, the Californian faced top contender Sandhagen in the event’s main event. After an incredibly competitive and tight five rounds, the 35-year-old fell on the right side of a close split decision.

Having undergone knee surgery following his comeback, Dillashaw was unable to replace Sterling this month, and is targeting a return to action in early 2022. having previously had his sights set on the winner of Yan vs. Sterling 2, perhaps the former champ will have his eyes on the Russian should he defeat Sandhagen on October 30.

If Petr Yan wins this weekend, who would you rather see him face, TJ Dillashaw or Aljamain Sterling?

Continue Reading Petr Yan Would Rather Fight Dillashaw Than “Chicken” Sterling at MMA News.

Dillashaw Expresses Doubts Sterling Will Ever Return, Sterling Responds

UFC bantamweight TJ Dillashaw has suggested that 135-pound champion Aljamain Sterling may never return to action as a result of the neck surgery he underwent earlier this year. Sterling went under the knife soon after his championship crowning at UFC 259. Against then-champion Petr Yan, “Funk Master” was being comfortably beaten until the Russian struck […]

Continue Reading Dillashaw Expresses Doubts Sterling Will Ever Return, Sterling Responds at MMA News.

UFC bantamweight TJ Dillashaw has suggested that 135-pound champion Aljamain Sterling may never return to action as a result of the neck surgery he underwent earlier this year.

Sterling went under the knife soon after his championship crowning at UFC 259. Against then-champion Petr Yan, “Funk Master” was being comfortably beaten until the Russian struck him with an illegal knee while he was a downed opponent. With the 32-year-old unable to continue, “No Mercy” was disqualified and Sterling became the first champion in UFC history to be crowned due to a DQ.

After taking time away to recover from surgery, Sterling was scheduled to make his first title defense in an inevitable rematch against Yan at UFC 267 this month. Unfortunately, lingering neck issues meant the champ failed to get medical clearance and had to withdraw. While he faces some more time on the sidelines, Cory Sandhagen is set to clash with Yan for the interim gold on October 30.

One man who’d almost certainly have been first choice to replace Sterling had he not had surgery of his own is TJ Dillashaw. The former UFC Bantamweight Champion returned to action at UFC Vegas 32 in July. In a competitive and enthralling main event, the 35-year-old secured a split decision victory over Sandhagen.

Having jumped straight into the rankings at #2, Dillashaw had been anticipating a title opportunity in early 2022 against the winner of Sterling vs. Yan 2. He was required to undergo knee surgery as a result of his fight with “The Sandman,” thus ruling him out of a short-notice title fight with the #1-ranked bantamweight this month.

With the latest changes to the title scene, his plans may have been spoiled. It now stands to reason the winner of Yan vs. Sandhagen will meet the champ inside the Octagon early next year in a unification bout, likely pushing a championship opportunity further back for Dillashaw. However, the Californian believes that may not actually be an issue. During a recent appearance on Ariel Helwani’s The MMA Hour, Dillashaw suggested Sterling may never return to action because of the complications surrounding his neck surgery.

“I don’t even know if Aljo’s ever going to come back to be honest. From what he had done, it’s kind of crazy. If I was him, I would have waited to get that done. My coaches, my strength and conditioning coach as well as my wrestling coach, sells the medical equipment that did his neck, don’t believe he’s ever going to come back.

“I think he’s just holding onto this belt as long as he can. I’ve had that feeling already so when he pulled out of the fight, I wasn’t surprised. I bet he’s dealing with nerve damage. I bet he’s dealing with a lot of stuff. You go get your neck cranked on with what he’s had done, it’s definitely not good. We’ll see. I could be completely wrong but I don’t know if he’s ever going to come back.” (h/t MMA Fighting)

Dillashaw added that he doesn’t understand why Sterling chose to have the surgery when he did. The former bantamweight king cited the injuries he carried while he was champion, suggesting Sterling should have taken advantage of the big fights and big paydays ahead of him.

“You’re on top of the world. You’re champion. Yeah, you won it the way you did but now you’re going to start getting paid like a champion. You’re going to have these big fights. Take advantage of them while you can. Don’t go out and get this neck surgery.

“I understand he’s got the problem, he has the injuries. I was dealing with two blown out shoulders when I was the champion but I wasn’t willing to sit out for a year cause I had big paydays.”

Without addressing Dillashaw’s comments on why he underwent the surgery when he did, Sterling responded to the claim that he won’t return in a post on Twitter. “Funk Master” asserted that despite the procedure, he’ll certainly be back.

“Not a small procedure by any means. But I KNOW I will be back! Just gotta keep things moving in the right direction.”

Do you think Aljamain Sterling will return to defend his bantamweight title?

Continue Reading Dillashaw Expresses Doubts Sterling Will Ever Return, Sterling Responds at MMA News.