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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!”
