"Aljamain just doesn't have enough striking depth" - T.J. Dillashaw places his bets for Aljamain Sterling vs Petr Yan 2
T.J. Dillashaw's work in the UFC bantamweight division has often been of paramount importance. When he talks about the division, people tend to listen. With a division-defining fight between Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan inching closer, it was only natural for T.J. Dillashaw to have an opinion on the result.
While in conversation with Kacper Rosolowski and Denis Shkuratov on 'Submission Radio', T.J. Dillashaw hedged his bets on the result of the fight:
"Yan's going to be a lot more confident. So I think it's going to mess with Sterling's head to see how bad he kind of got punked. His wrestling didn't work at all. Even just the way the first fight played out, I think Yan's got his number. Aljamain just doesn't have enough striking depth or danger to threaten Yan with strikes to set up his takedowns. It's going to be a little bit more of the same. Maybe just a little bit sooner even," declared T.J. Dillashaw.
T.J. Dillashaw believes Aljamain Sterling may not be able to return to his former self after neck surgery
Surgeries and intense medical procedures are often career-altering moments for athletes. While some bounce back stronger, others lose their former mojo. T.J. Dillashaw believes the 'Funk Master' falls in the latter category:
"The surgery he got done man, I'm really questioning if he's ever really going to come back to his fullest ability. That's a legit surgery. He went and got his disc replaced in his neck. We'll see. I'm not a doctor, but it is something that I would have roled with for a little bit longer, got some defenses under my belt, and tried to make that extra cash while he can. I just don't know how he's going to come back from that," admitted T.J. Dillashaw.
Aljamain Sterling was diagnosed with a herniated disc and had his C6-C7 vertebrae operated on. In addition, he had a partially torn left bicep and an injury to his left shoulder. However, he has held off on any surgery for those additional injuries.
While talking about his neck, the Jamaican admitted that he had been putting the surgery off for ages, having dealt with the injury for a decade. However, the illegal knee that he received from Petr Yan marked the last straw.
Sterling claims that he should be able to return to active competition sooner rather than later. However, doubts regarding his injury could play on his mind every time he steps into the octagon. How he deals with this nagging issue is something that remains to be seen.