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T.J. Dillashaw triumphantly returned to the octagon after a 30-month layoff at UFC Vegas 32. The former bantamweight kingpin overcame a knee injury and a nasty gash he sustained early in the fight to edge rising star Cory Sandhagen via split decision.
There were a lot of questions surrounding Dillashaw’s state ahead of UFC Vegas 32. Dillashaw, however, put on a tremendous performance that shattered doubts regarding his place in the pecking order of the weight class that he once ruled.
Returning at 35-years-old, Dillashaw brought his trademark relentlessness to outwork his former training partner. Based on sheer optics, Dillashaw was clearly the more battered fighter by the end of the fight. However, the judges’ scorecards revealed a different story.
Dillashaw may not have the UFC bantamweight title, but he re-established his status as a top contender at 135 pounds. On the heels of Dillashaw's spectacular comeback at UFC Vegas 32, let’s delve into five reasons why he still might be the best bantamweight in the UFC.
5. T.J. Dillashaw didn't lose a step
Inactivity didn’t appear to be an issue for T.J. Dillashaw, who returned at UFC Vegas 32 after missing action for more than two years. Conor McGregor insists that a lengthy hiatus is a huge hurdle to overcome. However, Miesha Tate and Dillashaw proved in back-to-back weeks that, with proper preparation, it isn’t the case at all.
The former champ looked like the Dillashaw of old with his striking looking sharp and his grappling still something he can utilize to slow his opponent down. Also, Dillashaw’s relentlessness is still a huge part of his arsenal as he largely controls the tempo of his UFC Vegas 32 return fight.
Even more impressive than his physical tools being present, Dillashaw proved that he’s in a good state of mind. A huge portion of analysts and fans were worried that Dillashaw would not get his mojo back right away, but of course, it turned out not to be an issue.
The setbacks he suffered in 2019 – an embarrassing TKO loss to Henry Cejudo and an even more embarrassing positive test for performance-enhancing drugs – could have broken someone who isn’t as mentally strong as Dillashaw. Call it confidence or arrogance, but whatever T.J. Dillashaw uses to fuel his resolve is definitely something he did not lose.
4. T.J. Dillashaw proved he didn’t need EPO
Fair or not, T.J. Dillashaw’s failed test for the banned substance erythropoietin (EPO) will forever be a bullet point in his legacy. And, of course, Dillashaw has no one else to blame but himself.
Since his doping scandal erupted, the narrative on Dillashaw’s career was that he’s someone who possibly captured the UFC bantamweight title twice, thanks to his mastery in cheating the system. As great as he is, there will always be a big, fat asterisk beside his name.
Dillashaw was only popped for EPO use once; he admitted to taking the banned substance to help him make the brutal cut to flyweight (125 pounds). However, many believe that it was the first time Dillashaw was caught, but it was far from the first time he used EPO.
With a stellar performance at UFC Vegas 32, however, it’s safe to assume that Dillashaw is an absolute killer, with or without EPO. The United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) also confirmed that it had tested Dillashaw’s past samples (as far back as 2016) for EPO, and none of them came back positive.
This is not to say, however, that everyone has to forgive Dillashaw and apologize for branding him a cheater. If you still hold a grudge against him, you’re well within your right to do so.
3. T.J. Dillashaw defeated one of the best bantamweights in the world
What makes T.J. Dillashaw’s comeback even more impressive is that it came against one of the most feared competitors at bantamweight. With much respect to what Miesha Tate could accomplish, returning against Marion Reneau is an exceedingly easy task compared to coming back against Cory Sandhagen.
But T.J. Dillashaw is just getting started. He clearly doesn’t intend on wasting more years of his career on inactivity. Dillashaw previously mentioned to Brett Okamoto that he'd be open to facing Rob Font as he awaits the winner of Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan. 'Lieutenant Dan' reiterated the same in his post-fight octagon interview, stating that he'd fight anyone in the top five.
“I’ll fight the Rob Fonts, I’ll fight the guys that are top 5 if I have to if those guys are gonna sit back and wait too long, continue to prove myself and build my name, and collect some checks.”
2. T.J. Dillashaw still has the best numbers at UFC bantamweight
They say numbers don’t lie, and in that respect, T.J. Dillashaw has solid evidence for his claim to be the best bantamweight in the UFC today. When it comes to some key statistics, Dillashaw has everyone beat.
Despite missing action for two years, Dillashaw is still the UFC bantamweight record-holder for most wins with 13 and most KO/TKO victories with 7. He is also tied with Marlon Vera for most finishes with 8.
The former bantamweight champ also boasts the most title fight wins with 5, most post-fight bonuses with 8, and is tied with Cody Garbrandt and Petr Yan for most knockdowns, landing 9.
We’re not done yet! Dillashaw is also the possessor of the highest significant strikes landed (1,114) and highest number of total strikes landed (1,504) in the UFC bantamweight division.
Remember, Dillashaw was out for two long years. Two years! Despite his long absence, no other bantamweight was able to dethrone him as the leader for the categories mentioned above.
1. T.J. Dillashaw never lost his title
Lest we forget, T.J. Dillashaw did not lose his UFC bantamweight title by getting beat. He was stripped of his title as a result of the two-year suspension imposed on him by USADA. Whichever camp you’re in with regards to Dillashaw’s doping scandal, it’s undeniable that he’s still arguably the best fighter in the division unless proven otherwise.
Normally, the titleholder should automatically be considered the best fighter of a specific weight class. After all, that’s what the championship belt represents. But the questionable way in which current champ Aljamain Sterling captured the title does nothing to support any argument against Dillashaw.
How about Petr Yan? Well, neither Yan nor Sterling have crossed paths with Dillashaw. WWE legend Ric Flair’s iconic maxim rings true for this specific situation. It goes:
“To be the man, you gotta beat the man.”
Speaking of one-liners, Dillashaw has a message for the entire bantamweight division after his win at UFC Vegas 32:
“Daddy’s home, b****es!”
