5 reasons why T.J. Dillashaw will beat Aljamain Sterling
UFC 280 will feature T.J. Dillashaw and Aljamain Sterling in the co-main event. Both fighters will compete for the UFC bantamweight championship. Dillashaw, a former champion, seeks to recapture it. Meanwhile, Sterling hopes to defend his divisional throne from the 135 lbs weight class' latest title challenger.
While the headline bout involving Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev has captured the imagination of UFC fans, T.J. Dillashaw and Aljamain Sterling's upcoming bout will be an interesting clash of styles.
Sterling quickly announced himself as one of the bantamweight division's finest grapplers. 'Funk Master' possesses a well-rounded grappling skill-set that combines his wrestling experience with exceptional Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
T.J. Dillashaw, by contrast, is a more complete fighter who is comfortable in every facet of mixed martial arts. He is a skilled striker whose footwork and movement are geared towards total offense, while his own wrestling experience serves as a reliable barrier against opponents who intend to ground him.
As UFC 280 looms closer with each passing day, this list explores five reasons why T.J. Dillashaw will defeat Aljamain Sterling on the 22nd of October.
#5. T.J. Dillashaw's takedown defense
T.J. Dillashaw has defended 86% of the takedowns he's encountered inside the octagon. A collegiate wrestler blessed with strength and explosiveness, Dillashaw is incredibly difficult to drag to the mat.
His first line of defense involves a traditional sprawl. Whenever an opponent dives towards his hips, the former UFC bantamweight champion quickly hooks his arm over their neck while exploding his hips back before snapping his upper-body weight down onto the rear of their neck.
Furthermore, Dillashaw widens his base and pushes off both of his feet to counteract his foe's momentum to stop them from potentially turning at an angle to secure a stronger position from which to continue driving forward.
The speed and explosiveness that Dillashaw calls upon when defending takedowns will render it difficult for Sterling to catch him off-guard.
@espnmma @HenryCejudo Cejudo has taken down each of his last 8 opponents, but Dillashaw has the 3rd-highest takedown defense rate in UFC Bantamweight history
Here's how the rest of the stats line up between them: https://t.co/AsU5jSB8lV
Additionally, Sterling's preferred outcome involves securing his opponent's back. Back-mounts off of takedown attempts are usually the result of an opponent who either turns over to their stomach to push off the mat with their hands and feet or an opponent who is a poor scrambler.
Dillashaw does neither and is an exceptional scrambler who is quick to fight for position after a failed takedown from his foes. If Sterling cannot secure takedowns against Dillashaw, he will almost certainly lose their bout as 'Funk Master's best chances lie in securing a submission.