UFC: Dillashaw Hits Out At Cejudo And Yan, Wants Immediate Title Fight
Former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw says he wants to immediately fight for the title upon his return to the Octagon.
Dillashaw relinquished his 135lbs title in 2019 after a positive drug test resulted in a two-year suspension. The then flyweight champion Henry Cejudo won the vacant belt by beating Marlon Moraes at UFC 238. ‘Triple C’ then defended the title once against former champion Dominick Cruz at UFC 249, before immediately retiring.
Top contender Petr Yan then won the vacant title by defeating former UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo fought at UFC 251. And in doing so, became only the second Russian to become a UFC champion. He was expected to defend his title against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 256, but was forced to withdraw due to personal reasons.
Immediate Title Shot
The Yan-Sterling fight will be rescheduled for early 2021. Dillashaw, whose two-year suspension ends on January 18th, wants to fight the winner for the title immediately upon return. Speaking to ESPN, the former champion slammed Cejudo and Yan, calling them both ‘interim champions’.
“I want that title fight right away,” Dillashaw said. “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? You are an interim champion. I mean even when Cejudo came in, he beat Moraes, and Moraes was no champion. To be honest man, the weight class is f***ed up, and is waiting for me to come back. 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. “
Responding to Dillashaw’s comments, Cejudo posted a tweet stating that he might come out of retirement and fight his one-time opponent, if he wins the 135lbs title on his return.
Other Options
In case Dillashaw does not get his desired title fight, he would not mind fighting either former teammate turned rival Urijah Faber, for the right price, or fight the number-two ranked UFC bantamweight Cody Sandhagen, in a potential number one contender’s fight.
“That’s a little bit of a joke,” Dillashaw said of Faber. “I wouldn’t mind beating his ass, but he’s not even in the top 15. I’m looking to fight for a title and the guy is not even in the top 15. I guess if [UFC] made it worth my while … I would love to whoop his ass; it would feel good, but it’s kind of a joke.
“[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 five.”
Guarantee To Get The Belt
Dillashaw, who is a two-time UFC bantamweight champion, holding the belt from 2014 to 2016 and 2017 to 2019, guaranteed he will win the belt for a third time when he returns.
“I’ll be a three-time bantamweight champion,” Dillashaw said. “That’s a guarantee, and it’s going to happen sooner than people think.”
Do you think T.J. Dillashaw deserves an immediate title fight upon his return?
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