Jimmie Rivera Doesn’t Blame T.J. Dillashaw For Going After UFC Flyweight Title

Jimmie Rivera isn’t knocking T.J. Dillashaw for trying to become a two-division champion.

This past Saturday night (Jan. 19), Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight ruler Dillashaw challenged flyweight title holder Henry Cejudo. The bout headlined UFC on ESPN+ 1. Dillashaw ended up suffering a TKO loss in just 32 seconds. While Dillashaw has insisted that the fight was stopped early, the fact is he has suffered his first loss since Jan. 2016.

Rivera Understands Dillashaw’s Motives

Rivera spoke to reporters backstage before Dillashaw shared the Octagon with Cejudo. He said that Dillashaw’s move down in weight class to chase another title is understandable (via MMAJunkie.com):

“I think it’s holding up (the division) for some of the guys who deserve a (title) fight, like Assuncao or Marlon. I think it’s holding up them, but they’re already going to fight each other again and rematch each other. I think Assuncao was really the No. 1 contender coming out of everything. But (Dillashaw) is dropping down, doing something for his legacy. I can’t blame him. If I was in his shoes I would do the same thing.”

Rivera is set to return to action to take on Aljamain Sterling. The bout will take place on Feb. 17. It is also set to air live on the major ESPN network.

Despite the quick TKO loss, was it worth it for T.J. Dillashaw to try his hand against Henry Cejudo?

Related News

Top Stories

UFC Store

Paddy Pimblett: Ilia Topuria Didn’t Move Up Because Of The Weight Cut, He ‘Ran’ From Volkanovski

Ilia Topuria’s bold decision to vacate his featherweight title and make the jump to...

UFC Fight Night: Manel Kape vs. Asu Almabayev Weigh-In Live Stream & Results

UFC Fight Night: Manel Kape vs. Asu Almabayev takes place on Saturday, and MMA...

Kash Patel Said To Be Considering UFC-FBI Partnership To Train Agents In Martial Arts

Kash Patel appears to have an intriguing vision — one that could potentially lead...

UFC Lightweight Bitter After Missing Out On Justin Gaethje Fight: ‘Strikers Have Always Feared Wrestlers!’

A UFC lightweight contender seems to be fuming after being passed over for the...

Merab Dvalishvili’s Teammate Learns His Punishment For Striking Fan At UFC 310

The Nevada Athletic Commission (NAC) has issued a nine-month suspension and $2,500 fine to...

Dustin Poirier Responds To Claim He Rejected Justin Gaethje Trilogy At UFC 313

Dustin Poirier has refuted any suggestion he outright rejected a potential short-notice clash with...

‘Mitchell’s Toughest Opponent Yet…Outside Of Basic Science’ – Fans React To Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva Joining UFC 314 Card

Rising UFC featherweight contender Jean Silva has had his wish to share the cage...

Justin Gaethje Claims 5 Big Names Turned Down UFC 313 Fight Before Rafael Fiziev Rematch Got Booked

Former interim lightweight champion Justin Gaethje has a replacement opponent set for UFC 313...

Marlon Vera Set To Face Opponent On Seven-Fight Win Streak At UFC Fight Night On May 3

Marlon Vera is seemingly set for a showdown with a stylistically challenging opponent in...