Ex-UFC champion TJ Dillashaw teases potential return to fighting: ‘The future looks bright”
Could we see TJ Dillashaw make his return to the Octagon?
After suffering a devastating should injury during his UFC 280 title tilt with then-bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling, the two-time titleholder’s career appeared to be all but finished. However, the Sonora, California native gave his fans hope on Instagram, revealing that he is healing up nicely after undergoing surgery and added that “the future looks bright.”
Of course, Dillashaw could be simply appreciating the fact that he won’t live out the rest of his life dealing with pain and immobility. But considering how his UFC career came crashing down during his final few active years, we imagine his ultimate goal is to make a comeback and try to make history as the promotion’s first-ever three-time bantamweight champion.
At one time, TJ Dillashaw was considered the greatest 135-pound fighter of all time. That narrative was immediately invalidated in March 2019 when he vacated the bantamweight title after USADA and the New York State Athletic Commission found adverse findings following his bout against Henry Cejudo at a Fight Night event two months prior.
He was slapped with a 12-month suspension before being hit with an additional year after testing positive for testing positive for recombinant human erythropoietin, or EPO.
Dillashaw made no excuses and owned up to using banned substances.
TJ Dillashaw’s Return to the UFC was plagued by injuries
He sat out until July 24, 2021, when he returned to earn a split-decision victory over Cory Sandhagen. That promptly put him back into the title picture, but a knee injury sustained during the fight kept him out of action for another 15 months.
He sought to reclaim the bantamweight crown against the ‘Funk Master’ in October 2022 but dislocated his shoulder early in the bout. Dillashaw’s team attempted to pop it back in place, but he ultimately lost the bout via TKO in the second round.
Dillashaw is 13-5 in his UFC career, earning victories over Renan Barao, John Lineker, Cody Garbrandt, and the aforementioned Cory Sandhagen.
Would you like to see TJ Dillashaw make one more run inside the Octagon?
