TJ Dillashaw is currently serving a two-year ban handed by the United States Anti Doping Agency. However, the ban hasn’t lowered his expectations. He still wants to compete for the title as soon as he returns.
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Dillashaw will be eligible to return in January next year. A lot will be changed in the landscape of the Bantamweight division by the time he comes back. The man he last fought inside the Octagon, Henry Cejudo, is the current kingpin of the division. A former Featherweight champ is the next title challenger. The division is stacked with fighters waiting to pounce upon an opportunity.
But that doesn’t concern the 34-year old Dillashaw.
“I was told I would get that title fight when I came back, but that doesn’t mean anything,” TJ Dillashaw revealed while talking to MMA Junkie. “If it was my choice, it would be a title fight, if not top-five to prove I should get that title fight. I think that makes sense.”
Dillashaw has utilised the time off from the sport to work upon his body. He underwent back-to-back shoulder surgeries last year. Dillashaw accepted that the time away from the sport was difficult. However, he believes he has come out of the tunnel stronger than he was before. Dillashaw, unwillingly, accepted that the time off from the sport was one of his best times ever.
TJ Dillashaw doesn’t hold any grudges against fighters who have bad-mouthed him
Dillashaw’s suspension garnered him a lot of negative publicity. Fans and his opponents went on to length to discredit his achievements. However, Dillashaw knows that he has no one else to blame other than himself.
“It’s hard to hold grudges because I did it,” Dillashaw said. “I made a mistake. I dirtied my name myself. It’s not on anybody else.”
“Trying to hold onto those grudges, that’s like holding onto the past. I’ve already moved on. I’m ready to push for that next goal and getting my belt back.”
With age against him, Dillashaw is correct on his part in asking for a title shot. He has already held the title twice. If he comes out of the ban in his same old form, it wouldn’t be too difficult for him to get his hands on the belt for the third time.
