TJ Dillashaw Said ‘So Much Good’ Came Out Of Not Fighting For Two Years

Former UFC champion T.J Dillashaw believes that staying out of fighting for more than two years positively affected his life.

In 2019, the USADA found recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) – a banned substance — in Dillashaw’s blood. The UFC and USADA banned him for two years. This drug allows fighters to reach their maximum abilities in every aspect. Dillashaw was unable to cut weight to share the octagon with Henry Cejudo, so he took some additional supplements.

After being suspended, Dillashaw made his comeback against No. 3 ranked bantamweight Cory Sandahagen. They fought hard, but two out of three judges thought that Dillashaw had done enough to add another victory to his record.

He is recovering from knee surgery and will be sidelined for three months.

While talking to reporters of Submission Radio, Dillashaw. was asked if he would change anything from his past. Dillashaw said that he does not regret anything because he also gained lots of unexpected benefits with all the bad news.

“Yeah, I don’t know if I would, to be honest,” Dillashaw said. “That’s a tough one, though. I mean, because it was a lot of shit, but so much good came from it that I don’t know if I would because who knows what would come from it if I didn’t?”

“What I’ve been able to put into my time…how hard I work inside the training room to get ready for a fight is how hard I work to make sure me and my family will be OK if I never fought again,” he added. “And it turned out to be very great. So I don’t have to find those big sponsors anymore. I don’t have to worry about the paycheck coming into a fight. I get to do it because I want to, and I’m just gonna get my belt back.”

The fighter now waits for the result of the bantamweight title fight between Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling, which takes place on October 30. He said he’s willing to share the octagon with the winner if UFC sends him a contract.