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Streaking UFC bantamweight contender Cory Sandhagen will welcome two-time champion T.J. Dillashaw back to the octagon this weekend at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The former champion is returning to action after more than two years away. After a failed drug test in 2019, Dillashaw was slapped with a long-term suspension which expired earlier this year.
Headlining the event, Cory Sandhagen vs. T.J. Dillashaw is going to be an instant classic with two proven finishers going at it in what's set to be a memorable headliner. The winner of the 135-pound matchup is being tipped to get a title shot against the winner of Aljamain Sterling vs. Petr Yan 2, which is expected to take place little this year.
As per the betting odds, Cory Sandhagen is the favorite to be victorious in his bout against Dillashaw. Here are five reasons why:
#5. T.J. Dillashaw's PED usage
Dillashaw was suspended for two years by USADA after testing positive for a performance enhancement drug after his loss against Henry Cejudo. While he admitted to using EPO for his flyweight debut, it puts a big question over all of Dillashaw's past performances.
Did Dillashaw use EPO to simply aid his grueling 125-pound weight cut and to get an advantage over 'Triple C'? Or were his previous wins against Cody Garbrandt also the result of PED abuse? This became a serious question with his former teammates like Urijah Faber and 'No Love' accusing him of using prohibited substances throughout his career.
Cody Garbrandt accused Dillashaw in 2017 of showing the entire Team Alpha Male roster how to take the PEDs. During the UFC 217 pre-fight conference, Garbrandt said:
"He’s on everything. You’re the one that showed everyone how to do it on Team Alpha Male. Look at him, he has nothing to say."
So there is a chance that Dillashaw won't be as good when he comes back as a clean fighter against Cory Sandhagen on July 24, which makes 'The Sandman' a favorite.
Also Read: 3 reasons why T.J. Dillashaw can regain the UFC bantamweight title and 2 reasons why he can't.
#4. T.J. Dillashaw hasn't competed in more than 900 days
One reason for Cory Sandhagen being seen as the favorite against T.J. Dillashaw is his recent activity. Dillashaw's last fight came in January 2019, and he has been on the shelf for more than 900 days. The former UFC champion took on Henry Cejudo for the flyweight title in 2019 and lost via knockout. He was slapped with a two-year suspension by USADA three months later.
It's already tough for fighters to make a comeback after long breaks and hop right back into their groove. Against a streaking title contender, it's all the more challenging. Dillashaw last won a fight against Cody Garbrandt at UFC 227 in August 2018, which wasalmost three years ago at UFC 227.
Also Read: 3 reasons why T.J. Dillashaw could be considered the UFC's bantamweight GOAT.
Michael Bisping said Dillashaw's decision to make a comeback after more than two years against Cory Sandhagen was definitely a tough one. The former UFC middleweight champion said:
"For T.J. to come back after two years and take on this guy (Cory Sandhagen)? There’s easy fights to have. Easier comeback fights have to get back into the swing of things, to let the world know you’re still a contender. Way easier fights to do that with. So as I say, I do respect T.J. Dillashaw for doing that."
Meanwhile, Cory Sandhagen's last fight came just five months ago, when he knocked out Frankie Edgar in impressive fashion. Given his recent form and consistent activity, it makes sense that he is seen as the favorite against Dillashaw.
Also Read: Michael Chandler calls out Justin Gaethje; claims 'The Highlight' has "no interest" in fighting him.
#3. Cory Sandhagen is 9-1 in his last 10 fights
Cory Sandhagen is currently on a two-fight winning streak and has enjoyed great success in his recent outings. The only time 'The Sandman' looked overwhelmed in the last four years was when Aljamain Sterling submitted him via a rear-naked choke at UFC 250.
Cory Sandhagen is 9-1 in his last 10 fights (7-1 in the UFC). He made his UFC debut in 2018 riding a two-fight winning streak from his time in the LFA. Entering the UFC, he went on a five-fight winning streak. The #2-ranked UFC bantamweight's only loss in the promotion came against the current UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling.
However, 'The Sandman' bounced back with another two wins, knocking out Marlon Moraes and Frankie Edgar in the next eight months. While Dillashaw has also won eight of his last 10, Cory Sandhagen has fewer losses in his MMA career than the former UFC champ.
Cory Sandhagen has also never been knocked out in his entire career, which is another reason for him being the favorite against the returning Dillashaw.
#2. Cory Sandhagen's history with spinning kicks and flying knees
Cory Sandhagen has earned a reputation for being a stylistic finisher of late, which is another reason for him being the favorite against T.J. Dillashaw. Sandhagen's 28-second knockout of Frankie Edgar at UFC Vegas 18 became the second-fastest flying knee finish in UFC history. He is now second only to Jorge Masvidal, who is at the top of the list with his 5-second KO of Ben Askren at UFC 239.
Cory Sandhagen is also one of only nine fighters in entire UFC history to earn a knockout from a spinning wheel kick. He accomplished the feat against Marlon Moraes in round two of their fight at UFC Fight Island 5.
'The Sandman' is also one of four fighters in UFC history to earn knockouts stemming from both a flying knee and a spinning kick. The other fighters in the organization in this exclusive list are Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos, Johnny Walker, and Edson Barboza.
Also Read: 5 things Conor McGregor has to do to win back the love of the MMA world.
#1. Cory Sandhagen has a higher striking rate than T.J. Dillashaw
Cory Sandhagen is one of the best strikers in the UFC bantamweight division. The 29-year-old lands on average 6.44 significant strikes per minute, the third-highest rate in the history of the UFC bantamweight division. In this respect, he is just behind Sean O’Malley (8.37) and Louis Smolka (7.12).
Dillashaw, on the other hand, averages 5.31 significant strikes per minute, much lower than Cory Sandhagen. Another factor that makes Sandhagen a favorite against Dillashaw is his average fight time in the UFC bantamweight division. He's taken an average of 6:47 minutes to finish off his opponents, and is the second fastest in this respect behind Smolka (5:05).
Cory Sandhagen has also picked up nine of his 14 career wins by stoppage, including five of his seven UFC wins as well.
Also Read: Dustin Poirier raises 28K for charity by auctioning his UFC 264 fight kit.
