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TJ Dillashaw will attempt to make history when he enters the octagon in the co-main event of a stacked UFC 280 card. He will be looking to join Randy Couture as the only two fighters in UFC history to win a belt on three separate occasions.
Dillashaw, who has held the bantamweight belt for a cumulative total of 1,104 days, was forced to relinquish his title in 2019. After testing positive for a banned substance, Dillashaw was suspended for two years.
With just one fight under his belt since his return, Dillashaw will have the chance to win the bantamweight belt in his matchup against Aljamain Sterling.
Appearing on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani, Dillashaw made it clear that he is not worried about his opponent, stating:
"He's not like a dangerous fighter. He's not someone you have to go out there and be worried about getting finished or put to sleep. I've always known he's great and he's got some great skills at what he does, but, to me, if I look at him, he's not a fighter, he's more of an athlete."
Can TJ Dillashaw make history?
When he was suspended, TJ Dillashaw chose to look at it as a blessing in disguise. He also shared that his goal was to get back into title contention upon his return. His plan for that was to beat a top-five opponent and then receive a chance to win his belt back.
After beating No. 2 ranked Cory Sandhagen in a controversial split decision, Dillashaw will have a chance to bring his plan to fruition. While he has not fought in over a year due to injury, Dillashaw will look to regain his title on what might be the most stacked card of the year.
If Dillashaw is able to defeat Sterling, it will be a historic victory, as he will become just the second fighter in UFC history to win a belt on three separate occasions. The only fighter to do this was Randy Couture over 15 years ago.
While Dillashaw may not be worried about his opponent, he should not overlook him either. Sterling is on a seven-fight win streak with his last loss coming nearly five years ago.
While many felt that Dillashaw lost to Sandhagen in his return from suspension, Sterling was able to defeat him rather easily with a first-round submission.
Although he may just be saying things for a good soundbite, overlooking the champion is never a good idea. Many felt that Sterling didn't deserve the belt after his UFC 259 victory over Petr Yan, but his performance in UFC 273 solidified his place as a champion.
It will be interesting to see if Sterling can once again defend his belt, or if Dillashaw will make history and claim the belt for the third time.
Watch TJ Dillashaw's appearance on The MMA Hour below:
