Hey, didn’t you used to be T.J. Dillashaw? The two-time UFC bantamweight champion, now 35, hadn’t been seen or heard from around an Octagon since a first-round loss to Henry Cejudo and a subsequent failed drug test that yielded a two-year ban…
Hey, didn’t you used to be T.J. Dillashaw? The two-time UFC bantamweight champion, now 35, hadn’t been seen or heard from around an Octagon since a first-round loss to Henry Cejudo and a subsequent failed drug test that yielded a two-year ban…
TJ Dillashaw has detailed the number of injuries he had going into his showdown with Cory Sandhagen. Dillashaw and Sandhagen shared the Octagon to close out UFC Vegas 32. Sandhagen was hoping to make his case for a UFC Bantamweight Title opportunity with a victory. Dillashaw was itching to showcase that he’s still at the […]
TJ Dillashaw has detailed the number of injuries he had going into his showdown with Cory Sandhagen.
Dillashaw and Sandhagen shared the Octagon to close out UFC Vegas 32. Sandhagen was hoping to make his case for a UFC Bantamweight Title opportunity with a victory. Dillashaw was itching to showcase that he’s still at the top of the heap after being away from action for two years due to a suspension. Ultimately, it was Dillashaw who emerged victorious via split decision.
During the post-fight press conference, Dillashaw claimed he had a slew of injuries going into the fight with Sandhagen (h/t MMAJunkie.com).
“I had a really, really, really rough camp. I couldn’t even spar this whole camp. The first camp going, we were supposed to go May 8. It went smooth other than getting cut. I was able to spar. My cut was going good. The second camp around, I could not stay healthy. The first injury was that I pinched this nerve in my foot doing a slider board. Up until two days ago, I had to work out with shoes on. This is like the worst thing I could’ve been dealing with.
“I tore my MCL in my right knee. I hurt my left shoulder, as well, the whole camp. It was a real rough camp. I didn’t want to obviously talk about it. I didn’t want to make (any) excuses. I just needed to get out there. It had been two f-ing long. There was no way I was going to pull out from the fight.”
Despite being banged up, TJ Dillashaw has made his intentions obvious. He wants a crack at the winner of Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan 2, which is scheduled for October 30 at UFC 267.
“I want my belt back. It’s my belt, I want it back. I wasn’t impressed with their last fight. I think Yan’s gonna get the win. Aljamain did not look very good, and that’s who I see fighting next.”
Cory Sandhagen has spoken out on his UFC Vegas 32 defeat at the hands of TJ Dillashaw. Sandhagen and Dillashaw headlined the card inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Going into the bout, Sandhagen was the number two-ranked UFC bantamweight. Dillashaw hadn’t competed since January 2019 as he served a two-year sanction from […]
Cory Sandhagen has spoken out on his UFC Vegas 32 defeat at the hands of TJ Dillashaw.
Sandhagen and Dillashaw headlined the card inside the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. Going into the bout, Sandhagen was the number two-ranked UFC bantamweight. Dillashaw hadn’t competed since January 2019 as he served a two-year sanction from USADA after popping for EPO.
The two did battle for five exciting and close rounds. Sandhagen was able to pop Dillashaw’s knee with a leg lock in the first round and caused a nasty cut above his eye. Despite Sandhagen’s efforts, he fell short in the bout. Dillashaw won the bout via split decision.
After the fight, Daniel Cormier asked Sandhagen if he felt he won the fight. “The Sandman” made his answer clear.
“Absolutely. I knew I made some mistakes early just trying to Granby [roll] too much, it wasn’t working I adjusted. I didn’t take any serious damage the whole time, man. He was kicking my leg but they weren’t compromising me at all. I don’t know, man I don’t know.”
Cory Sandhagen admitted that Dillashaw was more durable than he expected but he still feels he should’ve had his hand raised.
“No, I didn’t think he’d be able to take a shot the way that he was taking a shot. I think a lot of those shots knock a lot of people out. I had him hurt a number of times, I wasn’t hurt at all. I don’t know, man. Whatever, I should’ve done better though. I should’ve won.”
With the defeat, Sandhagen’s two-fight winning streak comes to an end. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, he will fall in the official UFC bantamweight rankings. Still, the loss isn’t likely to be viewed as a negative among the UFC brass as he delivered an exciting performance and almost defeated a former two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion.
Cody Garbrandt kept it brief with his reaction to TJ Dillashaw vs. Cory Sandhagen. In the main event of UFC Vegas 32, Dillashaw made his return to the Octagon. He had been away from action since January 2019 as he was suspended for two years by USADA due to EPO use. In the process, he […]
Cody Garbrandt kept it brief with his reaction to TJ Dillashaw vs. Cory Sandhagen.
In the main event of UFC Vegas 32, Dillashaw made his return to the Octagon. He had been away from action since January 2019 as he was suspended for two years by USADA due to EPO use. In the process, he relinquished the UFC Bantamweight Championship.
Dillashaw vs. Sandhagen was a five-round war. Both men had their moments in the fight but in the end, it was Dillashaw who was awarded the split decision victory. This is Dillashaw’s first win since Aug. 2018.
Garbrandt, a former teammate and rival of Dillashaw, had the following to say on his Twitter account.
“Let’s run it !!”
“Big drama show.”
Dillashaw has two TKO victories over Garbrandt. The first fight took place back in November 2017. Dillashaw captured the 135-pound gold a second time with his win over “No Love.” In the rematch, Dillashaw stopped Gabrandt in the first round to successfully retain the UFC Bantamweight Title.
Dillashaw had to battle through a knee injury at the end of the first round due to a leg lock from Sandhagen and a nasty cut above his eye. During a post-fight interview with Daniel Cormier, TJ Dillashaw discussed the cut and the knee issue.
“It’s the same cut that opened up twice before the last camp, so it was vulnerable. He hit me with a good shot. My knee, I popped it in that first round. I got lazy, I knew he had a leg lock and I was just chillin’ on top, got lazy and let him pop it there at the end. I couldn’t throw my hooks in. When I took him down, one time I tried to throw my hook in, my knee popped again. I had to bail out. So that kind of sucked, when I took his back my game plan was to throw the hooks in, and that went out the window obviously.”
Cory Sandhagen vs. TJ Dillashaw brought a slugfest in their fight. The showdown served as the main event of the UFC Vegas 32 event on Saturday night (July 24, 2021) from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility. As seen in the fight, Dillashaw …
Cory Sandhagen vs. TJ Dillashaw brought a slugfest in their fight. The showdown served as the main event of the UFC Vegas 32 event on Saturday night (July 24, 2021) from Las Vegas, Nevada at the UFC Apex facility. As seen in the fight, Dillashaw managed to land some takedowns in the first round including […]