Tag: T.J. Dillashaw

Video: T.J. Dillashaw retired, but what’s really going on?

It’s hard to believe that former UFC champion T.J. Dillashaw really is retired, especially when we haven’t heard it from him.

[autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] surprised the MMA world last week when his manager revealed that the former UFC bantamweight champion decided to retire after undergoing surgery on his shoulder.

Dillashaw came into his UFC 280 title fight with Aljamain Sterling with an injured shoulder that only got worse during the bout and contributed greatly to his second-round TKO loss. Just days after the fight, Dillashaw, 36, insisted his career wasn’t over and said “there’s no way I’d go out like that.”

But he’s apparently had a change of heart, although it’s worth noting that we’ve yet to hear from Dillashaw himself. Also, as news of Dillashaw’s retirement was in question, his publicist told MMA Junkie that it was false, adding that Dillashaw planned to fight “into his 40s.”

It’s strange situation, to be sure, which begs the question: What’s really going on? Our “Spinning Back Clique” panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Mike Bohn and Farah Hannoun address this with host “Gorgeous” George Garcia.

You can watch their discussion in the video above. Then don’t miss this week’s full episode below.

“Spinning Back Clique” is released each Monday LIVE on MMA Junkie’s YouTube channel.

 

Henry Cejudo thinks T.J. Dillashaw retired to get out of USADA testing pool: ‘It gets annoying’

Henry Cejudo fully expects T.J. Dillashaw to return to the UFC in due time.

[autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] questions the motivation behind [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag]’s decision to retire.

Dillashaw (17-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC), who recently underwent shoulder surgery, notified the UFC of his retirement earlier this week and was removed from the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency’s testing pool. The news came as a surprise, especially after Dillashaw said he wasn’t going anywhere in the wake of his title loss to Aljamain Sterling at UFC 280.

Cejudo believes that perhaps Dillashaw is just trying to avoid getting tested by USADA, not because he thinks he’s using performance-enhancing drugs again, but because of the inevitable frequent visits that they’ll be paying him when he’s out of competition.

“Is T.J. Dillashaw really retired?” Cejudo said on his YouTube channel. “The first thing that comes to mind was – which I don’t think he’s dumb enough to do that, is maybe he got busted again. I don’t think that’s the case. I think T.J. Dillashaw is getting surgery again, which I believe that’s true, and I don’t think he wants USADA knocking on that door every other week.

“Guys, it gets annoying. As much as I love USADA … it’s a lot of tests, guys. It takes a lot of time and effort and time away from your family. So, me automatically thinking T.J. Dillashaw’s retiring, no, I think it’s just for him to not really get tested by USADA. I guarantee you with T.J. Dillashaw they’re probably taking blood every single time and that stuff just is not cool.”

Cejudo defended his flyweight title against Dillashaw when he stopped him by TKO in just 32 seconds. It was after that fight that Dillashaw tested positive for EPO in his attempt to cut down to 125 pounds.

Dillashaw, a two-time bantamweight champion, was oozing confidence ahead of his title fight against champion Sterling, but a reoccurring shoulder dislocation in training camp caused his shoulder to give out in the fight. Although 36-year-old Dillashaw apparently is now retired, Cejudo thinks he’ll come back.

“Do I believe the retirement?” Cejudo said. “I believe he’s out, but I believe when he’s starting to get ready to come back in this thing, he’s gonna put his name back in the hat.”

He continued, “He is one of the greatest bantamweights of all time, but I just think that asterisk of him – now you start to wonder if this dude was always fair, if he was always playing honest. I think that’s the biggest thing. I don’t know, it’s hard for me to compliment T.J., especially when he only lasted 32 seconds with me.”

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‘Can’t compete like a real man’: Cody Garbrandt, UFC fighters react to T.J. Dillashaw’s retirement

Former foes and other fighters react to the news of T.J. Dillashaw’s surprising retirement.

According to his manager, former bantamweight champion [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] informed the UFC of his retirement.

Dillashaw (17-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) reportedly decided to retire after learning that his recent shoulder surgery will sideline him for longer than expected. The 36-year-old came into his UFC 280 title fight with bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling compromised and further injured his shoulder while he was dominated and finished in Round 2.

In wake of Dillashaw’s surprising retirement, numerous fighters, including rival Cody Garbrandt, reacted to the news on social media. You can check out their reactions below.

Reports: Former champion T.J. Dillashaw notifies UFC of retirement

Two-time UFC champion T.J. Dillashaw is hanging up the gloves, according to his manager.

Former UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] has notified the UFC of his retirement.

Dillashaw, 36, notified the UFC of his decision to retire from mixed martial arts after a recent shoulder surgery, according to manager Tiki Ghosn, who informed multiple reporters and news outlets – including Ariel Helwani, ESPN and MMA Fighting.

News of the retirement was first reported by Michael Wonsover after algorithm-based Twitter account UFC Roster Watch tweeted that Dillashaw was no longer on the active roster. Dillashaw’s publicist originally told MMA Junkie’s Mike Bohn that the retirement news was false, adding that Dillashaw planned to fight “into his 40s.”

Dillashaw has yet to comment publicly as of this writing.

Dillashaw (17-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) most recently competed in October when he lost by TKO to champion Aljamain Sterling at UFC 280 in Abu Dhabi. Dillashaw later said he competed compromised with a shoulder injury. He was dominated by Sterling from bell to bell before the stoppage.

A two-time UFC bantamweight champion and one-time UFC flyweight title challenger, Dillashaw started his promotional journey after a stint on Season 14 of “The Ultimate Fighter” in 2011.

In May 2014, as a sizable underdog, Dillashaw won the bantamweight title from Renan Barao by fourth-round TKO. He successfully defended the title against short-notice replacement Joe Soto by TKO before he defeated Barao by TKO in a rematch.

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Dillashaw lost a split decision and his title against Dominick Cruz in January 2016. Back-to-back wins earned him a crack at former training partner Cody Garbrandt, whom Dillashaw dethroned with a TKO win in November 2017. Dillashaw defeated Garbrandt in a rematch 10 months later.

The win was Dillashaw’s last as champion. He dropped weight to fight UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo for the 125-pound title in January 2019. Dillashaw lost by first-round TKO. He later tested positive for a banned substance, received a two-year USADA suspension, and vacated his bantamweight title.

Dillashaw returned from suspension in 2021 and defeated Cory Sandhagen by split decision. The win earned a title shot vs. Sterling, though it was delayed due to his ongoing injuries.

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MMA Junkie Radio #3308: Physical therapist Ron Gallagher joins the show, Jake Paul thinks his PPV tanked, more

Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.

Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.

On Episode 3,308, the guys chat with Ron Gallagher, a physical therapist in Vegas who has worked with many professional athletes. He gave the 411 on some of the injuries that have been occurring lately in MMA like [autotag]Aaron Pico[/autotag], [autotag]Calvin Kattar[/autotag] and [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag]’s. Ron talked discussed at what point the injuries appeared to actually happen and whether pushing them caused more damage. They also talked the [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag] news and much more.

Stream or download this and all episodes of MMA Junkie Radio over at OmnyStudio. You can also catch it on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and more. A new episode of the podcast is released every Monday and Thursday.

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T.J. Dillashaw insists Aljamain Sterling is ‘most beatable champion’ after losing to him at UFC 280

T.J. Dillashaw’s opinion on UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling hasn’t changed after facing him in the cage.

[autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] doesn’t have any regrets about taking the fight with UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag].

Dillashaw (17-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) came into his UFC 280 title fight against Sterling (22-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC) with a shoulder injury but decided to roll the dice on competing anyway. The worst case scenario happened as Dillashaw’s shoulder popped out early in the fight. With Dillashaw compromised, Sterling dominated Dillashaw en route to a second-round TKO stoppage, but Dillashaw said he was always going to take the chance in what he considered a very winnable fight.

“I took a gamble, as well, and that’s why it’s called f*cking gambling,” Dillashaw said Wednesday on “The MMA Hour.” “You don’t know the situation. I took a gamble. I could have sat out and got surgery, but when I come back, who knows if I’m gonna get a title shot right away? Or I’m going to have to fight my way back up in it or how bad this shoulder is. Let’s be honest: This is my third surgery in my left shoulder. It’s not like I’m a spring f*cking chicken, and it’s going to be an easy fix. It’s a serious thing. I will be coming back. I’m not gonna let my story end that way.

“But it’s still in the back of your head: I go and get surgery, I’m out for a year. And I was just out on surgery. There’s no guarantee you get a title fight when you come back. There’s a lot of options I’m weighing out of me getting this fight against a guy that’s very beatable. I think he’s the most beatable champion right now in the division. People are gonna give me sh*t for that, but I think he’s got some big holes in his game, and I matched up well with him. So I’m going to roll them dice, and I’m going to bet on myself even with one arm.”

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With the win over Dillashaw, Sterling now has defended his title twice. But Dillashaw is still not sold on Sterling as a champion.

“I feel like he was gifted the belt to begin with, and then he squeaked by with a win (in the rematch against Petr Yan),” Dillashaw said. “He’s a great athlete, he’s on a great win streak, he’s gotten to the top, but I don’t think he’s the best champion we’ve got out there. I don’t think he’s the best in the division, especially in the division we have, and that was an opportunity I wasn’t going to let slip through my fingers even though it did. My opinion has not changed. … I think his teammate, Merab (Dvalishvili), beats him.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 280.

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T.J. Dillashaw says he’s not done after UFC 280 loss: ‘There’s no way I’d go out like that’

T.J. Dillashaw is not going anywhere after failing to reclaim the bantamweight title at UFC 280.

[autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] is not going anywhere after failing to capture the bantamweight title at UFC 280.

Dillashaw (17-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) was dominated and finished by bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling (22-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC) this past Saturday but was dealing with a serious shoulder injury that he concealed heading into it.

The former two-time UFC bantamweight champion’s shoulder dislocated early in the fight, something that happened to him numerous times during camp.

“Sparring was f*cking awesome,” Dillashaw told ESPN. “I was doing great in camp against high-level guys. The Juan Archuletas, the Cub Swansons, guys we were bringing in. I was on point, man. I really was looking really good. I was in insane shape. Because of the shoulder situation I had been working harder on my physical therapy and working on strengthening up my shoulder.”

He continued, “The way I felt and the things that were going on, obviously it got worse the closer I got to the fight, but man, I was on point – because of me having one arm and that changed my game plan up, but I was so focused on the combos I can hit with my right hand and kicks that I felt amazing.”

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Dillashaw is expected to have surgery to repair his shoulder, which will sideline him for a year or more. Plagued with both knee and shoulder injuries in the past couple of years, the 36-year-old has spent a lot of time out but still vows to come back.

“I don’t feel that my ability has gone anywhere, maybe a little bit of want,” Dillashaw added. “This sport is a tough one, and then all the bullsh*t I go through here and there kills a little bit of the fire, but I think my competitive edge will always drive me. So I’m not done. You guys will see me again. There’s no way I’d go out like that, and if I come back, I’ll get back to the top.”

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Spinning Back Clique: UFC 280 fallout, Power Slap League, Paul-Silva predictions, more

Join us for this week’s live stream of “Spinning Back Clique” looking at the biggest news and topics in MMA focused around UFC 280.

Check out this week’s “Spinning Back Clique,” MMA Junkie’s weekly live show that takes a spin through the biggest topics in mixed martial arts. This week’s panel of Brian “Goze” Garcia, Mike Bohn and Nolan King will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate:

  • With the [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] era upon us after his second-round submission of Charles Oliveira to claim the vacant lightweight title at UFC 280, can you see the new champion ruling the division for years to come and, dare we say, surpassing Khabib Nurmagomedov’s greatness?
  • Aljamain Sterling retained his bantamweight title at UFC 280 with a second-round TKO of [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag], but the big story afterward was Dillashaw dislocating his shoulder in the first round and admitting that he hid a pre-existing shoulder injury from the UFC. Was it wrong for Dillashaw to fight with the shoulder ailment, and was his apology necessary?
  • At UFC 280, [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] came away with a controversial split decision win over [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] after a 15-minute war that saw both men land big punches and almost finish, although the difference seemed to be Yan’s control time. Not to the judges, though. Did you agree with the decision, and what was the biggest takeaway?
  • Finally at UFC 280, [autotag]Belal Muhammad[/autotag] and [autotag]Beneil Dariush[/autotag] both had impressive wins that moved their streaks to eight apiece. Muhammad finished the previously undefeated welterweight Sean Brady by TKO, and Dariush mostly dominated Mateusz Gamrot at lightweight. While it doesn’t seem likely that Muhammad or Dariush will get a title shot next, which fighter do you think will compete for the title first?
  • Robert Whittaker vs. Paulo Costa is official for Feb. 11 at UFC 284 in Australia, which is interesting timing considering middleweight champion Israel Adesanya and Alex Pereira fight Nov. 12 at UFC 281. What implications does this have on the title picture?
  • [autotag]Dana White[/autotag] and the UFC are moving forward with their Power Slap League of slap fighting. Both the promotion (for going through with this) and the Nevada Athletic Commission (for voting to regulate it) have taken heat, with the pervasive negative sentiment from critics centering around unnecessary brain trauma given the rules of slap fighting don’t allow contestants to defend themselves. How do we feel about this venture?
  • It’s put-up-or-shut-up time for [autotag]Jake Paul[/autotag], who meets former UFC middleweight champion [autotag]Anderson Silva[/autotag] in the boxing ring on Saturday after weeks of buildup. This is considered Paul’s toughest matchup to date by many. How do we see it playing out?

“Spinning Back Clique” is released each Monday LIVE on MMA Junkie’s YouTube channel. You can watch this week’s episode in the video above.

Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for Charles Oliveira, T.J. Dillashaw after UFC 280 losses?

See whom Charles Oliveira and T.J. Dillashaw should fight next after their UFC 280 title-fight losses.

(ALSO SEE: Sean Shelby’s Shoes: What’s next for champs Islam Makhachev, Aljamain Sterling after UFC 280 wins?)

It was a disappointing night for [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] and [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] at UFC 280 on Saturday. Both men failed to leave with championship belts.

Oliveira (33-9 MMA, 21-9 UFC) failed to recapture the lightweight belt in the main event at Etihad Arena on Yas Island. He succumbed to a second-round submission against Islam Makhachev (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC). In the co-main event, Dillashaw (17-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) also failed to reclaim a title when he lost to bantamweight champ Aljamain Sterling (22-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC) by second-round TKO.

What should come next for the pair of former champions? Watch the video above for thoughts and analysis after UFC 280.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 280.

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UFC 280 post-event facts: Aljamain Sterling’s resume enters 135-pound GOAT talks

Aljamain Sterling owns the longest winning streak in the history of the bantamweight division after his UFC 280 title defense.

The most anticipated UFC event of the year took place Saturday with UFC 280 from Etihad Arena on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.

In the main event, [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] (23-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) became the new UFC lightweight champion when he seamlessly rolled through [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] (33-9 MMA, 21-9 UFC) en route to a second-round submission that gave him the vacant strap.

The co-headliner saw [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] (22-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC) continue his run as bantamweight champion when he registered a second defense with a second-round TKO of [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] (17-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC).

For more on the numbers to come out of the two title fights, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s post-event facts from UFC 280.