T.J. Dillashaw – Page 6 – Syndication Server

Aljamain Sterling responds to T.J. Dillashaw saying he has a quit button: ‘Show me a fight where I quit?’

UFC champ Aljamain Sterling is baffled by T.J. Dillashaw calling him a quitter ahead of their UFC 280 showdown.

ABU DHABI – UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] is baffled by [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] calling him a quitter.

Sterling (21-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) defends his title against Dillashaw (17-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) in Saturday’s UFC 280 co-main event at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

Dillashaw said Sterling has a quit button, but the champion challenges anyone to point to a fight or a moment where he gave up.

“Show me a fight where I quit,” Sterling asked MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC 280 media day. “Show me one fight where I quit where I said, ‘Hey, I’m gonna pack it in, turn over and go home. Hey ref, I’m gonna cover up and pretend I can’t defend myself or fight anymore because I’m tired and I’m just gonna roll over and wait for the ref to save me then get up and go what happened, what happened, what? I was still fighting.’ What fight have I ever done that?”

Sterling, who’s still convinced that Dillashaw is taking performance-enhancing drugs, doesn’t agree with Dillashaw’s claim that he’s the greatest bantamweight of all time.

“For him to go out and say he’s the greatest bantamweight of all time right now just shows his arrogance which is exactly what I talk about,” Sterling said. “And I can’t wait to just bring him a little bit of humble pie.”

He continued, “He’s definitely one of the best, I think it’s crazy for him to say that he’s the best. Based on what? I mean you got Dominick Cruz who still has the most wins based on his WEC title wins and his UFC wins as well. I know it was a different era and a different time, but he’s still up there.”

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

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UFC 280 ‘Embedded,’ No. 2: Team Makhachev walks right past Team Oliveira

The first encounter of UFC 280 fight week between Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev was tense and awkward.

The UFC is back with its latest pay-per-view and a return to Abu Dhabi, which means the popular “Embedded” fight-week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

UFC 280 takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

The main event is a vacant lightweight title fight between former champion [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] (33-8 MMA, 21-8 UFC), who was stripped of the belt when he missed weight in May, and [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] (22-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC), who has won 10 straight and hasn’t lost in more than seven years.

The co-main event is a bantamweight title fight between champ [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] (21-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) and ex-titleholder [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC). In addition, [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] (15-1 MMA, 7-1 UFC) takes on former champ [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] (16-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) in a key bantamweight bout.

The second episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

121,726 views Oct 18, 2022 Islam Makhachev gets a visit from Hasbulla Magomedov. Charles Oliveira celebrates his birthday. Champ Aljamain Sterling pushes himself. Sean O’Malley steps outside his comfort zone. The headliners cross paths in the hotel lobby. UFC 280 is on Saturday, October 22.

Also watch:

UFC 280 ‘Embedded,’ No. 1: ‘Pink poodle coming to kill the little Russian’

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

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T.J. Dillashaw vows to ‘break’ Aljamain Sterling at UFC 280 en route to historic third title reign

T.J. Dillashaw has gone through much adversity to get to UFC 280, and now he’s on the doorstep of making history inside the octagon.

ABU DHABI – [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] has gone through much adversity to get to UFC 280, and now he’s on the doorstep of making history inside the octagon.

Dillashaw (17-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC), a former two-time UFC bantamweight champion, will get a chance to join Randy Couture as the only fighters in UFC history with three title reigns in a single division when he challenges Aljamain Sterling (21-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) in the co-main event of Saturday’s card, which takes place at Etihad Arena and airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNNews and ESPN+.

Dillashaw, who was forced to relinquish the 135-pound belt after a positive drug test in January 2019 that resulted in a two-year suspension, has waited a long time to get himself back in this spot. And he said Sterling isn’t going to be the one who thwarts him from getting back atop the mountain.

“I’m going to finish him,” Dillashaw told MMA Junkie. “I’m going to break him. He doesn’t have the gas tank. He doesn’t have the full, well-rounded … he’s going to rely on some small skills that he’s good at that I don’t think are going to be an issue for me, and I’m going to break him by just being on him at all times, that constant pressure and then finishing him.”

The build to the UFC 280 clash between Dillashaw and Sterling has been volatile. Sterling has endlessly accused Dillashaw of continuing to to use performance-enhancing drugs in the aftermath of his suspension, and Dillashaw has taken it all in stride.

Dillashaw said his sees Sterling’s trash talk as a sign of weakness, and nothing that comes out of the champion’s mouth will distract him from the task at hand.

“That’s the name of the game with our sport, is drama,” Dillashaw said. “Some more than others. I think a big turning point for me is when I fought Dominick Cruz. I won the belt against Barao, defended against (Joe) Soto, defended against Barao, and I fought Dominick Cruz and there’s some media behind it, and he’s talking mad trash, and I hadn’t had to deal with that yet. The first time he got under my skin and I went out to that fight – still believe I won that fight – but tried to knock him. From the get-go tried to kick his head off, and I kept the fight too close because of it and learned through that fight that I’m a better fighter when I have fun.

“I’ve never been a guy that’s held on to it or had the animosity to want to like fight someone in the street. I’ve always been the guy that like, ‘I’m going to fight when I get paid.’ I’m a professional. I’m going to do it when I’m supposed to do it, and he can run his mouth all he wants. To be honest, I think it shows some insecurities, and it’s really just – he’s too into social media. It’s kind of a joke.”

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If Dillashaw manages to regain UFC gold, he will sit atop arguably the deepest division in the sport. UFC president Dana White said this week that he sees Saturday’s featured bout between Petr Yan and Sean O’Malley as a title eliminator, and Dillashaw said he welcomes a clash with whomever comes out on top.

“Yan’s a killer. The way his demeanor is, the way he fights. Then O’Malley, he’s a great salesman. He does a great job. He put in a lot of work to be who he is as a personality, and he’s got some great timing. I’m giving the guy a chance,” Dillashaw said. “I think Yan wins, but I’m definitely giving him a chance.

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

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Dana White praises T.J. Dillashaw for owning up to past PED use: ‘He handled it like a man’

Dana White says T.J. Dillashaw handled things “like a man” in a sport where many busted athletes would handle it “the exact opposite way.”

UFC president Dana White believes it’s possible that former bantamweight champion [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] eventually shakes his reputation of using performance-enhancing drugs.

Ahead of UFC 280, which takes place Saturday in Abu Dhabi and features Dillashaw (17-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) challenging champion Aljamain Sterling (21-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) for the title, White explained how Dillashaw handled his positive drug test and subsequent punishment exceptionally well compared to the status quo.

“First of all, the guy is probably, and I don’t know this for a fact, but I would assume he’s one of the most tested guys in the company right now,” White recently told Barstool Sports. “USADA is probably all over him. But I think he made a mistake, and he handled it like a man. I’ll tell you what: We’ve had a lot of guys in the history of this company who have been busted for steroids and handled it the exact opposite way. They handled it not like men. Dillashaw did. He took it on the chin. You’ve got to respect him for that.”

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Dillashaw, now 36, tested positive for recombinant human erythropoietin (better known as EPO) following a failed flyweight title challenge against Henry Cejudo in 2019. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency suspended Dillashaw two years for the positive test.

In the wake of the failure, Dillashaw openly admitted to his use of banned substances and pointed to his struggle to shed 10 pounds and drop to flyweight as the reason for his poor decision.

“It’s hard to hold grudges, because I did it,” Dillashaw told MMA Junkie mid-suspension in 2020. “I made the mistake. I dirtied my name myself. It’s not on anybody else. I gave them fuel. It hurts, but that’s part of the payment – part of the payment for how I dirtied my name up. I’ve got to live with it now. Trying to hold onto those grudges, that’s like holding onto the past. I’ve already moved on. I’m ready to push for that next goal and getting my belt back.”

On Saturday, Dillashaw will have the chance to do that. Since his suspension and multiple shoulder surgeries, Dillashaw is 1-0 with a victory over Cory Sandhagen. If he wins, he’ll be the first fighter in UFC history to have three bantamweight title reigns.

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

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UFC 280 pre-event facts: Numbers show just how historic Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev truly is

The numbers show that Charles Oliveira vs. Islam Makhachev is unlike any fight in UFC history.

The UFC makes its annual visit to Abu Dhabi on Saturday with UFC 280, which goes down at Etihad Arena on Yas Island with a main card that airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNNews and ESPN+.

A championship doubleheader tops arguably the deepest fight card of the year. [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] (33-8 MMA, 21-8 UFC) and [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag] (22-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC) will meet for the vacant lightweight title in the main event, which marks the first time in history fighters on UFC winning streaks of 10 or more fights meet inside the octagon.

In the co-headliner, meanwhile, [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] (21-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) puts his bantamweight belt on the line against [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) in the co-headliner.

For more on the numbers behind the title bouts, as well as the rest of the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts for UFC 280.

UFC 280 ‘Embedded,’ No. 1: ‘Pink poodle coming to kill the little Russian’

In the first episode of “Embedded,” Sean O’Malley says he’s ready to “kill” Petr Yan at UFC 280.

The UFC is back with its latest pay-per-view and a return to Abu Dhabi, which means the popular “Embedded” fight-week video series is here to document what’s happening behind the scenes.

UFC 280 takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

The first episode of “Embedded” follows the featured fighters while they get ready for fight week. Here is the UFC’s description of the episode from YouTube:

Charles Oliveira likes his odds against Islam Makhachev, who plans to start a championship legacy. Aljamain Sterling trains with fellow champ Leon Edwards. Sean O’Malley sticks to basics. Petr Yan plans his path back to the title.

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

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Spinning Back Clique: UFC 280 preview, Alexa Grasso’s big win, possible Jon Jones return, more

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

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, Nolan King and Matthew Wells will join host “Gorgeous” George Garcia at noon ET (9 a.m. PT) to discuss and debate:

This Saturday’s top three fights at UFC 280 – [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag], [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] vs. [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag], and [autotag]Petr Yan[/autotag] vs. [autotag]Sean O’Malley[/autotag] – are intriguing for different reasons. But which one is the most intriguing?
Former UFC two-division champion [autotag]Henry Cejudo[/autotag] has suggested that featherweight champ [autotag]Alexander Volkanovski[/autotag] is making a mistake by serving as the backup to the Oliveira-Makhachev lightweight title fight at UFC 280. Does he have a point?
After her impressive win over Viviane Araujo in her first UFC main event at UFC Fight Night 212, should [autotag]Alexa Grasso[/autotag] be next to challenge women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko?
After missing weight yet again at UFC Fight Night 212, should flyweight contender [autotag]Askar Askarov[/autotag] forfeit his standing in the division and move up to bantamweight?
There’s talk of a potential [autotag]Jon Jones[/autotag] return in December at UFC 282, and the top candidate to face him in his heavyweight debut is former champion Stipe Miocic. Are you taking this seriously?

“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.

VIDEO: UFC 280 ‘Countdown’ for Aljamain Sterling vs. T.J. Dillashaw

Did you miss the debut of UFC 280 “Countdown” or just want to watch it again? Check out the co-main event preview now.

The segment takes a special look at the bantamweight title fight between champion [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] (21-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) and former titleholder [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] (17-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC). Dillashaw most recently fought in July 2021 after a two-year suspension and won his return, but has been out since then after a knee injury.

UFC 280 takes place Saturday at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPNews and ESPN+.

“Countdown” goes behind the scenes with the two fighters, and you can watch the full segment above. And don’t miss the entire episode in the video below.

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

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T.J. Dillashaw plans to show Aljamain Sterling what Division I wrestling is all about: ‘I’m not feeling the threat’

If his UFC 280 title fight with Aljamain Sterling amounts to a wrestling match, T.J. Dillashaw is ready for it.

[autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] thinks he has the advantage over UFC bantamweight champion [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] in wrestling.

Dillashaw (17-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) challenges Sterling (21-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) for the 135-pound title in the co-main event of UFC 280 on Oct. 22 in Abu Dhabi. “The Funkmaster” has used his grappling to quickly submit Cory Sandhagen and put a stamp on his rivalry with Petr Yan, when he was able to control him on the mat for almost two full rounds in their title-fight rematch at UFC 273. But Dillashaw, a former Division I wrestler, is confident with how his wrestling stacks up against Division III wrestler Sterling.

“I think this matchup is great for me,” Dillashaw said on ESPN’s “DC & RC.” “The style that I have to be able to fight, I mean, I’m so well rounded, I’m actually the better wrestler. I wasn’t really impressed with his shots to get those takedowns. He had to take 22 of them to get two, so those odds aren’t that great, but he was so desperate and persistent in getting them that it helped out for him. But to be honest, I’m not feeling the threat. I’m gonna get out there and do what I do best and show him what D-1 wrestling is all about.”

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Dillashaw will look to reclaim the bantamweight title for a third time. He was stripped off his belt when he tested positive for recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) after his flyweight title loss to Henry Cejudo in January 2019, resulting in a two-year suspension.

“When I’m champ again, it’s gonna be great,” Dillashaw said. “I never left. I never lost my belt in this weight class. Yeah, I was stripped, but I never actually physically lost it and people forget. People forget how dominant I was, because I hadn’t been in there performing. I hold a lot of records in the bantamweight division and just because of the time off, they forget. So I’m about to remind them all who the best is, who the best pound-for-pound is, and that 135-pound belt, I’m coming for it.”

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

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Paul Felder breaks down how wrestling factors into Aljamain Sterling-T.J. Dillashaw title fight at UFC 280

Paul Felder thinks Aljamain Sterling and T.J. Dillashaw likely will fight mostly on their feet at UFC 280.

[autotag]Paul Felder[/autotag] thinks [autotag]Aljamain Sterling[/autotag] vs. [autotag]T.J. Dillashaw[/autotag] likely will play out standing.

Bantamweight champion Sterling (21-3 MMA, 13-3 UFC) meets Dillashaw (17-4 MMA, 13-4 UFC) in the co-main event of UFC 280 on Oct. 22 in Abu Dhabi. With Sterling’s suffocating grappling style and Dillashaw’s collegiate wrestling background, Felder doesn’t expect either man to control the fight on the ground.

Sterling’s style is more unorthodox. The champion was able to take Petr Yan’s back on multiple occasions in their UFC 273 title fight, as well as quickly cinching in a rear-naked choke on Cory Sandhagen to tap him out in their fight in June 2020. But Felder thinks it’ll come down to how Sterling is able to handle the striking exchanges.

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“You’ve got two really good wrestlers,” Felder told ESPN. “Aljamain for sure has the ability to take you down, backpack you, wear on you, be on that neck from behind and even if he doesn’t tap you, he’s just dragging those rounds on and winning rounds. But T.J.’s striking is kind of on a different level than Aljamain’s by a little bit. Aljamain has shown a lot of improvements in the striking, really good there, but I think this one in particular really will take place on who’s gonna dictate theirs.

“I don’t see either guy dominating the wrestling exchanges. I think it could be back and forth, both guys getting down. I think Aljamain might be able to get the back and maybe get a submission, but I think it’s gonna be tough, and I think that he’s gonna really have to work on being able to win the boxing and kickboxing exchanges in that one.”

Sterling, who was a big underdog for his rematch against Yan, appears to have gained the respect of the oddsmakers. According to Tipico, Sterling is currently a slight favorite at -180 over Dillashaw, who is a +140 underdog.

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

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