TJ Dillashaw is utilizing some extreme training techniques to ensure that he’s prepared for his UFC 173 bantamweight title fight against reigning king Renan Barao.
First, the Team Alpha Male product warmed up with former UFC lightweight Justin Bu…
TJ Dillashaw is utilizing some extreme training techniques to ensure that he’s prepared for his UFC 173 bantamweight title fight against reigning king RenanBarao.
First, the Team Alpha Male product warmed up with former UFC lightweight Justin Buchholz mid-flight as he traveled to Las Vegas for his May 24 scrap.
While an elite fighter hitting pads in the aisle of an airplane is both funny and impressive on its own, this clip really shines because of the flight attendant’s commentary. He says:
We’ll be on the ground shortly. Again, please remain seated for the short duration of the flight. For the people in the last five rows that don’t know what ‘seated’ means, that means put your butt in the cushion.
Dillashaw‘s innovative training techniques didn’t end there, though.
To improve his balance and hand-eye coordination, Dillashaw took to the baggage claim for his next circuit on the pads.
Cheered on by teammates Joseph Benavidez, Chris Holdsworth and some adoring fans (or stunned passersby), a shirtless Dillashawwent to work on a moving conveyor belt in a very public place.
This is Team Alpha Male we’re talking about, after all, so the “no shirt” thing is kind of a requirement, really.
Since nothing else has even remotely worked against Barao thus far in the Brazilian champ’s UFC career, maybe Dillashaw is on to something here.
Or maybe he’s just being silly and calming the nerves before his date with a killer inside the Octagon.
Unfortunate reality alert: Saturday’s UFC 173 main event is basically a waste of everyone’s time.
TJ Dillashaw is challenging Renan Barao for the bantamweight title in the main event, and there’s almost no hope he’ll wrest the gold from the Brazilian.
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Unfortunate reality alert: Saturday’s UFC 173 main event is basically a waste of everyone’s time.
TJ Dillashaw is challenging RenanBarao for the bantamweight title in the main event, and there’s almost no hope he’ll wrest the gold from the Brazilian.
That’s not to say the card is not without its charm, as there are two other solid fights being offered in Jake Ellenberger/Robbie Lawler and Dan Henderson/Daniel Cormier. But the main event is the epitome of hopelessness on the battlefield. It’s a panzer tank running over a Volkswagen, a dinosaur competing with an iguana for a food source.
And you know what’s even worse? Dillashaw is good. Like, really good. “Potential champion” good.
He’s just not that good yet.
In the meantime, he’s being thrown to the wolves at least a year too soon because the promotion’s original headliner fell apart, and someone’s gotta fight someone to justify charging that sweet pay-per-view cheddar.
That means, very much to his own chagrin, Dillashaw doesn’t have a hope. He’s in far too deep, far too soon, and it’s going to show Saturday night.
Barao, even considering the UFC’s comically hard sell of his talents, warrants incredible respect. Though he never formally beat Dominick Cruz to earn his title, there are few people who would suggest he’s not the best 135-pounder in the world today.
He hasn’t lost since his debut fight in 2005, and under the Zuffa umbrella, he’s a 9-0 champion that’s stopped six of those opponents. He’s the type of killer who, if he were 70 pounds heavier, would be on every piece of UFC merchandise imaginable.
Conversely, Dillashaw is 5-2 in the UFC and is just over two years removed from a stint on The Ultimate Fighter as a skilled but green athlete that was learning the ropes in MMA.
From the outset, there was little question he was a talent to watch but definitely not the type one would have expected to see in a title fight after seven UFC appearances. He was more of a project, a guy that could take a steady road to relevance if handled right.
Now, just as he’s coming into his own, his development is destined to be damaged irreparably by a title fight he didn’t really earn and isn’t really ready for. That’s unfortunate on its own, but when one considers the challenge he could have been for Barao had he fought a couple of more contender fights, it’s even worse.
Based on his current trajectory, it wouldn’t have been hard to imagine Dillashaw becoming a major player at bantamweight over the next year had he not been put in his current situation.
His stand-up has been improving rapidly, and his wrestling base provides the type of unshakable stability that every fighter hopes to achieve in the cage. His fights have also been growing increasingly more interesting the more he competes, which is the type of pattern the UFC likes to see.
He looked excellent in his win over Mike Easton earlier this year, and his loss to Raphael Assuncao before that was one many thought he’d won. Prior to those two signature showings, he was riding a three-fight stoppage streak against lesser competition in a run that indicated he might one day be ready for big things.
Now, those things have come to his doorstep much earlier than anticipated, and there’s no telling how it might derail him.
There’s no clear blueprint for beating Barao right now. Actually, there’s no real blueprint for even competing with him. He’s crushing everyone.
To have a hope, contenders are going to need to be appropriately groomed and experienced, or they’re going to end up like the past 32 guys who’ve tested Barao: losers in varying degrees of post-fight agony.
Dillashaw hasn’t been groomed appropriately, and he isn’t sufficiently experienced yet, though there were encouraging signs that he one day would be. As a result, he’s likely to be next on that list of Barao victims, which is a true waste of his athleticism and growing prowess in the sport.
T.J. Dillashaw’s competitive streak started at an early age.
Dillashaw is the son of two highly competitive parents. He has two brothers. And growing up, even casual situations were often turned into a chance to win.
For example: The Dillashaw family h…
T.J. Dillashaw‘s competitive streak started at an early age.
Dillashaw is the son of two highly competitive parents. He has two brothers. And growing up, even casual situations were often turned into a chance to win.
For example: The Dillashaw family had two cars, and they would often split up. T.J. sometimes rode with his dad, and his brothers piled into their mom’s car. A simple drive from point A to point B morphed from a leisurely drive into a chance to score a victory over the rest of the family.
T.J. and his dad had to win. They had to be the first to arrive at their destination.
“I don’t care what it takes. We’re running red lights. We’re cutting them off,” Dillashaw tells Bleacher Report. “I think that’s where it all started. I had two brothers and competitive parents. They just bred me that way.”
All fighters are competitive by nature. It’s a rule for any professional athlete because winning is the only thing that matters.
But Dillashaw may be the most competitive fighter I’ve ever met.
Joseph Benavidez, his Team Alpha Male teammate, once told me that Dillashaw has to win at everything. Checkers? Chess? Volleyball? Board games? Dillashaw will do anything to win.
Urijah Faber noted that Dillashaw displayed the same intensity on the first day he began training with the team. He was green behind the ears and nowhere near the complete fighter he would become. But that didn’t stop Dillashaw from going 100 percent, from trying to beat Faber and Benavidez and the others.
I have seen his intense competitive nature before. Before his 2013 fight against IsseiTamura, I saw Dillashaw backstage, preparing to walk to the Octagon. As he paced back and forth waiting for his music to hit, Dillashaw began screaming.
It was as intense a moment as I’ve ever seen from a fighter. And it was scary, if we are being honest.
It is a trait that permeates every area of his life. He has to be the best at everything.
“When it comes to board games, you try every trick you can to beat someone. When it comes to fighting, you want to be a respectable opponent,” Dillashaw says. “But other than that, I’ll do anything I can to win.
“It’s tough, especially when it’s bred into you. You just want to be the best.”
After a recent kickboxing session with coach Duane Ludwig, Dillashaw picked up his phone. He noticed several text messages and missed calls from his manager, Mike Roberts. Dillashaw figured his scheduled opponent, TakeyaMizugaki, was injured.
When Dillashaw got home, he called Roberts and asked if Mizugaki was out of the fight. Roberts told him he had a new opponent, but it was RenanBarao, and it was for the bantamweight title. Roberts, knowing Dillashaw would say yes, had already accepted the UFC 173 main event bout on his behalf.
Dillashaw let out a scream.
“I couldn’t help but just shout. I was very excited,” he says. “Luckily, I was at home, so I didn’t scare anybody other than my dog.”
It is the perfect scenario for Dillashaw. He has twice gone through the process of helping Faber get ready for bouts against Barao. And so, in a way, this is his third training camp preparing for Barao.
“I was there every step of the way to help Urijah get ready for him,” he says.
This time, it is Faber’s turn to help Dillashaw prepare for a title fight. Dillashaw will likely be a heavy underdog to Barao. The champion hasn’t lost a fight in years and is entrenched near the top of the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings.
But Barao‘s lofty status won’t affect Dillashaw‘s preparation. Not one bit. He plans on going in the Octagon and winning because winning is everything.
Winning is the only thing, in fights or board games or even a weekend drive with his parents.
“I have been raised to win,” Dillashaw says. “You do everything you can to win.”
Dillashaw had already been booked to face Takeya Mizugaki at UFC 173, but he’s now been promoted to a championship fight, despite being on a one-fight win streak. (It should be mentioned that Mizugaki has won his last four fights. Asian brother can’t get no love, man?) As MMA Junkie reports, the far-more-deserving Raphael Assuncao was also being considered for Barao’s opponent, but lingering injuries will keep the Brazilian contender sidelined a while longer.
Essentially, Renan Barao vs. TJ Dillashaw is one of those title fights that was thrown together out of convenience and desperation. Due to a recent wave of injured champions, the UFC’s options are very limited right now in terms of arranging big fights on short notice. To put it gently, most UFC fans will probably decide to save their $55 when May 24th rolls around, when you consider that the current UFC 173 main card lineup looks like this…
(“Renan Barao is a MONSTER!” — Barao’s dance coach. / Photo via Getty)
Dillashaw had already been booked to face Takeya Mizugaki at UFC 173, but he’s now been promoted to a championship fight, despite being on a one-fight win streak. (It should be mentioned that Mizugaki has won his last four fights. Asian brother can’t get no love, man?) As MMA Junkie reports, the far-more-deserving Raphael Assuncao was also being considered for Barao’s opponent, but lingering injuries will keep the Brazilian contender sidelined a while longer.
Essentially, Renan Barao vs. TJ Dillashaw is one of those title fights that was thrown together out of convenience and desperation. Due to a recent wave of injured champions, the UFC’s options are very limited right now in terms of arranging big fights on short notice. To put it gently, most UFC fans will probably decide to save their $55 when May 24th rolls around, when you consider that the current UFC 173 main card lineup looks like this…
Renan Barão vs. TJ Dillashaw* Junior dos Santos vs. Stipe Miocic**
Takeya Mizugaki vs. TBD***
Tony Ferguson vs. Katsunori Kikuno****
Jamie Varner vs. James Krause*****
Renan Barao defended his UFC Bantamweight Championship successfully at UFC 169, and now the UFC has to decide what is next for the king of the division.
Barao, now the undisputed champion, took care of business on Saturday.
The champion def…
Renan Barao defended his UFC Bantamweight Championship successfully atUFC 169, and now the UFC has to decide what is next for the king of the division.
Barao, now the undisputed champion, took care of business on Saturday.
The champion defended the belt against the man he bested for the interim UFC Bantamweight Championship,Urijah Faber. Herb Dean stepped in to save Faber in the first round after Barao had dropped him twice and was leveling hammerfists into the side of the head as “The California Kid” tried to cover up.
Here are three fighters the UFC could put into the title mix right away.
Urijah Faber
This likely won’t happen, but the list of potential contenders is not long at 135.
Faber will not drop far in the rankings. The ending was somewhat controversial, and the division needs more time to work itself out.
With a TKO finish on Saturday, a third bout between them may be a hard sell.
Faber is still the star of the division, and that has to count for something. The end to the fight on Saturday will allow him to continue to sell himself as a title contender. After several unsuccessful title challenges, he at least remains in the mix at 135.
T.J. Dillashaw
Dillashaw is ranked No. 5 in the division, and he wasn’t the first to come to mind in the list of contenders. However, his teammate Faber gave him a shoutout at the end of UFC 169 to sell him a bit.
The 9-2 fighter has shown a lot of improvement over the past two years since coming off The Ultimate Fighter. Since losing the finale to John Dodson, he is 5-1 inside the Octagon. His most recent outing was a decision win over Mike Easton.
The timing is beneficial for him, and the name-drop from Faber puts him in prime position to challenge for the title if the UFC wants to use him.
The star of the division is pushing his teammate, and the UFC should be glad. The promotion needs challengers at 135.
Raphael Assuncao
Assuncao first has to get past Francisco Rivera at UFC 170 on February 22, but if he is successful, then he should be next in line.
He is ranked No. 3 in the division, but No. 2-ranked Michael McDonald is coming off a loss to Faber.
The Brazilian has five consecutive wins, and a victory at UFC 170 will make six straight. That win streak will be hard for the UFC to deny him a title shot. The Brazilian vs. Brazilian matchup would likely be a good main event for a card in Brazil later in 2014.
This is the UFC’s most likely option. The bantamweight division is still a work-in-progress, and Assuncao is the leader in the clubhouse for the next shot at gold.
UFC Fight Night 35 offered up plenty of fun tilts for MMA fans seeking a Wednesday night fix, and the bantamweight bout between Mike Easton and TJ Dillashaw was no different.
Crammed between the Brunson-Romero barnburner and the evening’s co-main event…
UFC Fight Night 35 offered up plenty of fun tilts for MMA fans seeking a Wednesday night fix, and the bantamweight bout between Mike Easton and TJ Dillashaw was no different.
Crammed between the Brunson-Romero barnburner and the evening’s co-main event, it might have been easy to forget about. But fortunately the highly-ranked 135ers had plenty of interest in reminding people, scrapping their way to an enjoyable decision win for Dillashaw.
What We’ll Remember About This Fight
That it was the type of fight that you can see in the lighter weight classes when guys are matched up properly. The speed, quickness and technique of Dillashaw against the size and strength of Easton really came together to make an interesting fight.
Even going in, this one probably should have been in the co-main event slot. Neither guy was far from a title shot, and Dillashaw is even closer now.
What We Learned About Mike Easton
That he’ll struggle at times with men who outmatch him in the athleticism department. He’s got guts for days and plenty of talent in his own right, but when you put him in there with an athlete of Dillashaw‘s level it’s going to give him problems.
The loss won’t hurt him greatly, especially in a thin division, but he needs to learn how to handle guys who can fight to his weaknesses or he’ll never get out of the lower half of the top 10.
What We Learned About TJ Dillashaw
That he continues to improve at a frightening pace. Even in his loss to Raphael Assuncao in the fall he looked great, and he looked even better in skinning Easton at UFN 35. His striking is better than ever, his awareness in the cage is approaching veteran levels and his confidence is sky-high.
The Alpha Male product is the first of the next wave of guys coming from the gym to clearly trend upward, and it’s scary to think where he’ll be by this time next year.
What’s Next for Easton
The loss doesn’t really diminish his stock a great deal, as he did all he does well. It just didn’t work out for him tonight, and he actually might score some points for durability. A bout with equally durable, similarly ranked TakeyaMizugaki might be a fun one.
What’s Next for Dillashaw
It’s time for Dillashaw to swim with the sharks. His performances against solid contenders coupled with his obvious rate of improvement indicate he’s ready to get in there with someone near the top of the class and see what happens.
Give him Michael McDonald. He’ll be eager for revenge coming off a loss to Alpha Male kingpin Urijah Faber, and he’ll be a great test for Dillashaw.
TJ Dillashaw is utilizing some extreme training techniques to ensure that he’s prepared for his UFC 173 bantamweight title fight against reigning king Renan Barao. 
