Suspended former UFC champion TJ Dillashaw wants title fight on return
TJ Dillashaw is nearing the completion of his two-year suspension by USADA for doping. As a result of the suspension, TJ Dillashaw had to vacate the Bantamweight Championship - making way for Henry Cejudo to win the title and become UFC's fourth Double Champion.
The reason Henry Cejudo was even in the picture was that he defeated TJ Dillashaw in half a minute in 2019's first major Fight Night card. TJ Dillashaw challenged Henry Cejudo to come up to Bantamweight to challenge for the 135-pound title, but a doping suspension meant that he would be out of action for two full years.
TJ Dillashaw's suspension is set to end on January 18th, 2021, and he spoke to ESPN, stating that he wants to fight for the Bantamweight Championship right upon his return. TJ Dillashaw doesn't consider Petr Yan to be a legitimate Champion and made a case for wanting a title shot upon his return:
"I want that title fight right away," Dillashaw told ESPN. "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."
Since Petr Yan vs Aljamain Sterling was the originally scheduled Bantamweight Championship fight for UFC 256, that's the fight that the UFC will most likely rebook for early 2021. One fighter that was been calling to welcome TJ Dillashaw back to the Octagon is No.2 ranked Cory Sandhagen.
The Sandman lost a contender's fight to Aljamain Sterling and after defeating Marlon Moraes, he wants to face the 2-time Bantamweight Champion.
TJ Dillashaw believes that Cory Sandhagen wants to get a title shot at his expense, but admitted that if he doesn't get a title shot, he needs a fight against a Top 5 contender:
"[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."
TJ Dillashaw concluded, vowing to become a three-time Bantamweight Champion:
"I'll be a three-time bantamweight champion," Dillashaw said. "That's a guarantee, and it's going to happen sooner than people think."
Will TJ Dillashaw get a title shot upon his return?
While TJ Dillashaw can make a case for a title shot since he never lost the title, the circumstances of his suspension doesn't give him a good look. Since Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan will likely fight in the first quarter of 2021, TJ Dillashaw might need to fight once at least, and Cory Sandhagen would be the perfect opponent for him.
When TJ Dillashaw was suspended, Cory Sandhagen was still on the rise. It's the perfect match-up to see where he stands in a Bantamweight division that has changed significantly since he last fought.