Watch: When T.J. Dillashaw started sparring on a baggage carousel at Las Vegas airport
T.J. Dillashaw never shies away from sparring in some of the most unusual places. Back in 2014, the former bantamweight champ was seen hitting pads on a baggage carousel at Las Vegas airport.
Dillashaw, who is set to take on Cory Sandhagen this weekend at UFC Vegas 32, was joined by former UFC lightweight Justin Buchholz for his strange sparring session.
You can watch the video below:
Dillashaw was in Vegas to headline the UFC 173 card against then-bantamweight champion Renan Barao. Making sure he left no stone unturned in his preparation for the title fight, Dillashaw also trained with Buchholz inside an airplane while traveling to Vegas.
What made the entire scenario even more hilarious was the announcer, who screamed:
“Please remain seated for the short duration of the flight. For the people in the last five rows that don’t know what seated means, that means put your butt in the cushion.”
Nevertheless, T.J. Dillashaw did reap the rewards of his unique training methods. He went on to become the first man in the UFC to dethrone Barao. Dillashaw also ended the Brazilian’s astonishing 33-fight unbeaten run.
The former Team Alpha Male member put on a masterclass performance opposite Barao and bagged the Performance of the Night and Fight of the Night bonuses after defeating ‘The Baron’ via a final-round TKO.
T.J. Dillashaw will make his return to the octagon at UFC Vegas 32
After a lengthy two-year suspension, T.J. Dillashaw will finally set foot inside the octagon again this weekend at UFC Vegas 32. He will face the No. 2-ranked bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen.
Sandhagen is riding a two-fight win streak. Having secured a pair of highlight reel knockouts over Marlon Moraes and Frankie Edgar, ‘The Sandman’ is expected to be a tough test for Dillashaw.
T.J. Dillashaw and Sandhagen were former teammates at the Elevation Fight Team gym. Ahead of their much-awaited clash, Dillashaw has suggested that Sandhagen hasn’t changed much as a fighter since he left the team in 2017.
"I don't think he has changed much as a fighter. I think he has just changed with his confidence a little bit. He's the same fighter, he's the same guy. He does the same things. He has got the same good and bad habits... He's just a good athlete, you know. he's been training martial arts for a long time," T.J. Dillashaw told TSN's Aaron Bronsteter.