Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw last stepped inside the octagon on October 22nd against Aljamain Sterling in the co-main event of UFC 280. Dillashaw decided to walk away from the sport after this title fight as he suffered a brutal KO/TKO loss to Funkmaster.
It was an extremely tough outing for the 36-year-old fighter as his shoulder popped out of place twice during the fight. This was one of the biggest reasons why Dillashaw decided to retire as his shoulder injury aggravated after UFC 280.
The former bantamweight champion went into this fight with an injury that he suffered during training camp. However, fans didn’t expect TJ to retire as he returned after a two-year suspension in 2020. It seems that TJ Dillashaw is extremely unsettled after his retirement as he took to Instagram a few days ago and vented his emotions.
Dillashaw also revealed in his Instagram post that he was delaying his career-ending surgery and looking for better options that would help him make a comeback in MMA. But unfortunately, his fight against Aljamain Sterling was the last of the 36-year-old bantamweight fighter.
Taking a look at the eventful UFC career of TJ Dillashaw
TJ Dillashaw has left no doubt that he is one of the greatest bantamweight fighters to have ever graced the sport of MMA. However, his career has been filled with ups and downs. After a meteoric rise from 2016 to 2018, which led to him winning the UFC bantamweight title, TJ suffered a brutal KO/TKO loss to Henry Cejudo.
To make matters worse, TJ Dillashaw received a two-year suspension from USADA for violating the anti-doping policy. This meant that TJ had to sit out his best years. Despite all the setbacks, Dillashaw made a comeback and edged past top contender Cory Sandhagen in a five-round war.
It looked like TJ was back to his best but injuries hampered his battle to the top as he had to stay out for nearly a year. And his successive injuries during the training camp and forcing himself to fight against Aljo cut his career short.
Regardless of his failed comeback to the top, TJ’s name should be considered an all-time great as he is a two-time champion with wins over fighters like Cody Garbrandt, Renan Barao, John Linekar, and many others.
