Dillashaw talks about getting his belt back after serving a doping suspension: 'It's something I want back'

says he wants to become UFC champion again. Photo: Reproduction/Instagram @tjdillashaw

One of the biggest recent controversies involving an Ultimate champion was certainly the doping accusation against the former owner of the bantamweight title (up to 62,2 kg.), TJ Dillashaw. After his guilt was proven, the athlete was suspended from professional fights and lost his number one position. With his return scheduled for 2021, the North American revealed, in a recent interview with Chael Sonnen, who still intends to regain his title in the future and criticized Henry Cejudo, his last tormentor and current owner of his old belt.

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“It’s something I want back. It's not because of his (Cejudo) provocations or the way he treats me. It's just something that burns inside me to get my title back. To get back to where I need to be and leave everything that has happened behind,” said TJ.

The fighter says he still has a lot to deliver for the sport. According to the former champion, there is something inside him that makes him suitable for MMA. The athlete also says that there are some rivals who will forever remain his enemies, as is the case with Cejudo.

“I definitely have some animosity embedded within me, in sport and in everything. I have some enemies who will continue to be my enemies for the rest of my life. I don't say that because Henry is a talker. It's more about the way he's been carrying himself,” said Dillashaw.

Without being able to perform for approximately another year and a half, TJ states that he has not dedicated himself to physical preparation. The suspension ended up being, in a way, favorable, as it allowed the athlete to undergo two shoulder surgeries to fix past problems.

“I haven't been doing any kind of training. Now, I'm getting back into shape. I finally started running again. I've been working on my legs, things like that, but when it comes to the martial arts side, I haven't had the chance to do anything yet.”

When the punishment is over, Dillashaw will be close to 35 years old. The athlete has 20 fights on his official record, with 16 wins and four losses. The last, in a duel against Henry Cejudo, in January of this year, when the North American came down from bantamweight to try, in the flyweight division, for his second UFC title.