Tag: TJ Dillashaw

UFC Bantamweight Champion Petr Yan Responds To Criticism From Former Champion TJ Dillashaw

Petr YanUFC Bantamweight champion Petr Yan has responded to criticism from former two-time Bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw regarding the state of the division. During an interview with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Dillashaw questioned the authenticity of both Yan and Henry Cejudo’s Bantamweight title reigns. “I want that title, I want it right away because you got a […]

Petr Yan

UFC Bantamweight champion Petr Yan has responded to criticism from former two-time Bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw regarding the state of the division.

During an interview with ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Dillashaw questioned the authenticity of both Yan and Henry Cejudo’s Bantamweight title reigns.

“I want that title, I want it right away because you got a guy Petr Yan that beat someone for a belt that’s 0-2 in the weight division,” Dillashaw said. “Jose Aldo had two losses and he beat him for a title so how are you calling yourself a champion? To me, you’re an interim champion.”

Yan took to Twitter to respond sharing few words with the former champion, simply telling him to wait in line.

Dillashaw was suspended for two years after testing positive for banned substances in his system following his failed bid at claiming the Flyweight title against Henry Cejudo.

Following his ban, the Bantamweight title became vacant seeing Henry Cejudo move up a division to claim his second title after defeating Marlon Moraes at UFC 238. Following his claiming of the title Cejudo defended it once again against former champion Dominick Cruz at UFC 249.

Since then Cejudo has retired and Petr Yan faced off against former Featherweight champion Jose Aldo for the once again vacant Bantamweight title. After emerging victorious Yan has been attached to a bout with number one contender Aljamain Sterling.

This title fight was meant to take place at UFC 257 on December 12, however, Yan was forced to pull from the bout which will now be rescheduled for 2021.

Dillashaw’s suspension ends in the first quarter of 2021 and the former champion expects to make his return fighting for the title against the winner of Yan vs Sterling.

“The weight class is fucked up, it’s ready for me to come back. I’m ready to throw a wrench in it all and even get my belt back, I will be the most dominant,” Dillashaw said.

TJ Dillashaw Wants Immediate Title Shot: ‘That’s My Belt’

TJ DillashawFormer bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw wants an immediate title shot when his two-year drug ban ends in January. Dillashaw was last seen in the octagon in January 2019, when he lost by first-round knockout to flyweight champion Cejudo. Things only got worse for him after the fight, as he later tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He was […]

TJ Dillashaw

Former bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw wants an immediate title shot when his two-year drug ban ends in January.

Dillashaw was last seen in the octagon in January 2019, when he lost by first-round knockout to flyweight champion Cejudo.

Things only got worse for him after the fight, as he later tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He was handed a two-year suspension from the UFC’s drug regulating body, USADA. Dillashaw has largely stayed out of the public eye since then but with his ban almost up he has been doing the media rounds as of late.

In an interview with ESPN, Dillashaw revealed that he will be campaigning for an immediate shot at 135lb king Petr Yan.

“I want that title fight right away,” Dillashaw said. “You’ve got a guy in Petr Yan who beat someone for the belt that is 0-2 in the division. Jose Aldo has two losses [at 135 pounds]; you beat him for the title and you’re calling yourself a champion? That belt has changed hands every fight. No one there has dominated. That’s my belt, and I want to come back to a title fight.”

Dillashaw went on to shut down rumours of his former friend and coach Urijah Faber.

“That’s a little bit of a joke,” Dillashaw said of fighting Faber. “I wouldn’t mind beating his ass, but he’s not even in the top 15. I’m looking to fight for a title and the guy is not even in the top 15. I guess if [UFC] made it worth my while … I would love to whoop his ass; it would feel good, but it’s kind of a joke.

Top bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen has also be discussed as a potential comeback opponent for Dillashaw but the two-time bantamweight champion doesn’t think he needs to fight anyone else to earn a title shot.

“[Sandhagen] wants to fight me because he knows that’s his way to the title. The title shot is mine, and he wants to fight me because he wants to fight for the title. If I have to fight someone else, it better be in the top 5.”

The Ultimate Fighter runner up concluded the chat by vowing to regain the bantamweight title, he said.

“I’ll be a three-time bantamweight champion. That’s a guarantee, and it’s going to happen sooner than people think.”

Do you think TJ Dillashaw should get an immediate title shot when his two-year ban is up?

T.J. Dillashaw Expects Title Shot Against “Interim Champ” Petr Yan

T.J. Dillashaw wants to regain the UFC bantamweight championship when he makes his return to competition in 2021. Following his loss to Henry Cejudo at UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw, Dillashaw would suffer an even bigger loss: his ability to co…

T.J. Dillashaw wants to regain the UFC bantamweight championship when he makes his return to competition in 2021. Following his loss to Henry Cejudo at UFC Fight Night: Cejudo vs. Dillashaw, Dillashaw would suffer an even bigger loss: his ability to compete after testing positive for EPO. Prior to being sacked by the suspension, Dillashaw […]

The post T.J. Dillashaw Expects Title Shot Against “Interim Champ” Petr Yan appeared first on MMA News.

Henry Cejudo Is Open To TJ Dillashaw Rematch

Henry CejudoThe recently retired former dual weight UFC champion Henry Cejudo has suggested he is prepared to return to MMA to square off against TJ Dillashaw in what would be a highly anticipated rematch. ‘Triple C’ opted to walk away from fighting in the aftermath of his second round TKO win over bantamweight legend Dominick Cruz […]

Henry Cejudo

The recently retired former dual weight UFC champion Henry Cejudo has suggested he is prepared to return to MMA to square off against TJ Dillashaw in what would be a highly anticipated rematch.

‘Triple C’ opted to walk away from fighting in the aftermath of his second round TKO win over bantamweight legend Dominick Cruz at UFC 249 back in May.

Since then Cejudo has stayed in the spotlight by teasing fans about his potential return. On several occasions the 33-year-old has suggested a fight with featherweight king Alexander Volkanovski but the Australian appears to have little interest in the bout.

Dillashaw was last seen in the octagon in January 2019, when he lost by first-round knockout to flyweight champion Cejudo.

Things only got worse for him after the fight, as he later tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He was handed a two-year suspension from the UFC’s drug regulating body, USADA. He has largely stayed out of the public eye since then but recently posted an image to social media that showed he is still in excellent shape.

In an interview with Helen Yee, Cejudo expressed a willingness to return from his brief retirement to rematch Dillashaw who’s suspension comes to an end in January.

“How about a TJ Dillashaw Triple C 2? How does that sound for you guys? He can probably beat all those other guys, but he knows,” Cejudo said. “He knows who his kryptonite is.”

“TJ Dillashaw could bend the knee,” Cejudo added. “He knows who his nightmare is. I don’t know yet, he’s not even in my thoughts to be quite honest with you. I knocked him out in 32 seconds.” (Transcribed by Essentially Sports)

Do you want to see former UFC dual weight champion Henry Cejudo end his retirement to rematch TJ Dillashaw in 2021?

TJ Dillashaw Pictured In Great Shape Ahead Of UFC Return

TJ Dillashaw opensFormer UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw is drawing near to his return from a two-year suspension, and a teammate’s photo shows him to be in tremendous shape. Dillashaw was last seen in the octagon in January 2019, when he lost by first-round knockout to flyweight champion Henry Cejudo. Things only got worse for him after […]

TJ Dillashaw opens

Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw is drawing near to his return from a two-year suspension, and a teammate’s photo shows him to be in tremendous shape.

Dillashaw was last seen in the octagon in January 2019, when he lost by first-round knockout to flyweight champion Henry Cejudo. Things only got worse for him after the fight, as he later tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He was handed a two-year suspension from the UFC’s drug regulating body, USADA. He has largely stayed out of the public eye since then.

Dillashaw has since reappeared in a photo posted by his training partner, Bellator contender Juan Archuleta. In a post on his Twitter account, Archuleta mentioned a training session between Cub Swanson, Dillashaw and himself. He also included a picture of them together.

It appears that Dillashaw, who was known for his great conditioning during his run, has not missed a beat. That being said, when he does return, it will be a to division that shares little resemblance to the one he left. Firstly, Cejudo – the man who beat him for the title – has since retired. Secondly, a whole new crop of young fighters have worked their way to the upper echelon of the division, including current bantamweight champion Petr Yan.

Perhaps most importantly, fans and fighters alike are left to wonder what version of Dillashaw will show up upon his return. He will turn 35 in February, a month after his suspension is lifted. As a fighter known for his cardio and relentless pace, Dillashaw will have to fight against Father Time as well as a whole new crop of opponents to prove that his success wasn’t entirely due to his drug use. Whenever he does return, he will have no shortage of fighters ready to see what the ex-champ has left.

Who do you think TJ Dillashaw should face in his return bout? Let us know!

Cory Sandhagen Wants TJ Dillashaw Or Frankie Edgar Next Following UFC Fight Island 5

SandhagenThere are only two fighters who make sense to be Cory Sandhagen’s next opponent. Sandhagen returned to the win column with an emphatic second-round TKO win over Marlon Moraes in the UFC Fight Island 5 headliner on Saturday night. It put Sandhagen right back into the title mix as he bounced back from what he […]

Sandhagen

There are only two fighters who make sense to be Cory Sandhagen’s next opponent.

Sandhagen returned to the win column with an emphatic second-round TKO win over Marlon Moraes in the UFC Fight Island 5 headliner on Saturday night.

It put Sandhagen right back into the title mix as he bounced back from what he labeled to be an “embarrassing” first-round submission loss to Aljamain Sterling in June. That victory for Sterling all but assured him of the next shot at the bantamweight title and although it’s yet to be official, it’s highly-expected that the next championship fight will see him face current champion Petr Yan.

If that is the case, Sandhagen only envisions two fighters for him to face next.

“The only other guys who have an argument is TJ when he gets back in January and Frankie [Edgar],” Sandhagen said in his post-fight interview with Dan Hardy. “All the respect to both of those guys but I want that belt. Those are the only two guys ahead of me and then I want the winner of Yan vs. Sterling.”

Dillashaw, of course, is serving a two-year ban from USADA after testing positive for EPO in 2019. He will be eligible to compete in January and a fight with Sandhagen would certainly be an intriguing affair.

Edgar, meanwhile, recently enjoyed a successful bantamweight debut after outpointing Pedro Munhoz in their August headliner.

For now, we’ll have to wait and see what the UFC’s plans are.

Who do you want to see Sandhagen face next?