Former UFC bantamweight king TJ Dillashaw says that his former training partner Cory Sandhagen is acting like a douche lately after hearing his statements on TJ’s failed drug test.
TJ hasn’t fought since January 2019 when he suffered a first-round TKO loss to Henry Cejudo at UFC on ESPN+ 1 in a failed attempt to win the UFC flyweight title. Following that fight, he tested positive for performance-enhancing drugs. He gave up his belt not long afterward and was then suspended for two years by USADA.
After serving his two year-suspension Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw will make his return to action opposite No. 2-ranked contender Cory Sandhagen at the promotion’s upcoming “Fight Night” event on May 8, airing on ESPN. and ESPN+.
TJ Dillashaw talks about Cory being a Douche
Dillashaw, who has been out for the last two years serving a suspension for EPO use—recently spoke with ESPN where he took a shot at Sandhagen for some comments the rising contender made about him.
“I like Cory Sandhagen,” he said. “He’s become a little bit of a douche lately, talking that s*** which he’s gotta do, that’s the name of the game, but I like Cory Sandhagen. I like all of his coaches, I like Elevation Fight Team, but that’s the business. We’re gonna get out there, we’re gonna handle it, and I’m gonna come back and get my belt.”
TJ and Sandhagen have a bit of history, training together back when TJ was the champion. However, following his 28-second KO of Frankie Edgar at UFC Vegas 18, Sandhagen caught Dillashaw with some stray shade when sniping at then-bantamweight champion Petr Yan for calling for a fight with Dillashaw, saying that Dillashaw was “coming off some of the most serious PEDs that you can do in the sport” and calling it disrespectful to the sport and him. While this statement is objectively true, it still annoyed Dillashaw.
“Oh just talking s*** about how me failing a drug test and then something about me taking the worst steroid you could take, which I wasn’t even taking a steroid,” Dillashaw said. “Just running his mouth on certain interviews and stuff of things he knows is complete nonsense. Just pumping himself up and making himself feel like he’s got a chance in this fight.”
Dillashaw (16-4) has been riding the pine for over two years after drawing a sizable suspension from United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA). His last appearance resulted in a technical knockout loss to Henry Cejudo at UFC Fight Night 143. His last victories came against another former teammate turned rival Cody Grabratn when he defeated him twice at UFC 217 and UFC 227. While Sandhagen (14-2) has won nine of his last 10, including back-to-back knockout victories over Marlon Moraes and Frankie Edgar.
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