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T.J. Dillashaw was suspended from active competition for two years by the United States Anti-Doping Agency for testing positive for recombinant human erythropoietin.
He tested positive for EPO before his super-fight with Henry Cejudo for the flyweight title on January 19, 2019.
Dillashaw will make his return to the UFC octagon this weekend as he faces one of the best bantamweight prospects active in the promotion today, Cory Sandhagen.
Cory Sandhagen holds an impeccable 7-1 UFC record and an overall mixed martial arts record of 14-2.
His most recent win came over veteran fighter Frankie Edgar in a spectacular fashion. So the bout between Sandhagen and Dillashaw this week at UFC Vegas 32 promises fireworks with a stand-up battle you don't want to miss.
How does EPO, the banned substance used by T.J. Dillashaw, affect the performance of an athlete?
Recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) is responsible for the stimulation of red blood cells in our bone marrow. It also maintains the level of red blood cells, and thus, hemoglobin, in our body.
The use of EPO as a performance-enhancing drug allows athletes to develop better efficiency, both mentally and physically, due to the presence of semi-perfect blood flow and oxygen distribution throughout the entire body.
When did T.J. Dillashaw last fight?
Prior to his suspension, T.J. Dillashaw was the UFC bantamweight champion. His last appearance in the octagon was his flyweight debut. He clashed with Henry Cejudo, the flyweight champion at the time, at UFC Fight Night 143.
The fight started with both fighters maintaining their distance and exchanging distant strikes. Cejudo ducked under one such strike and advanced towards Dillashaw. He executed a high kick and followed it up with a huge right hand that knocked Dillashaw down. However, Dillasahaw remained in the fight even as Cejudo unloaded with some brutal ground and pound.
After his unsuccessful attempt at getting the finish right away, Cejudo allowed just a fraction of space for Dillashaw and landed another huge right hand that sent his opponent crashing into the canvas again. This time around, the referee stepped in as Cejudo punched away at Dillashaw on the ground. Henry Cejudo won the fight via TKO after just 32 seconds.
It was after this fight that the NYSAC flagged T.J. Dillashaw's blood report containing hints of banned substances. After the NYSAC banned T.J. Dillashaw, USADA came out with its own judgment and banned him for two years.
