Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight John Lineker feels T.J. Dillashaw’s absence is refreshing.
Dillashaw had quite the fall from grace in a short period of time. He was riding high as a two-time UFC bantamweight champion and he chased the distinction of “champ-champ.” He was stopped in 32 seconds by flyweight title holder Henry Cejudo. He then relinquished his 135-pound gold after failing a New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) drug test. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) later suspended Dillashaw for two years due to EPO use.
Lineker Talks Benefits Of Dillashaw’s Absence
MMAJunkie.com caught up with Lineker before his UFC Fort Lauderdale bout with Cory Sandhagen. “Hands of Stone” explained why he believes Dillashaw’s absence is welcomed:
“I think T.J.’s absence really helped the division. It was pretty jammed up in the area around the title. So, with him leaving, the division moved along. And other challengers will have opportunities.”
Dillashaw will be out of action until after Jan. 18, 2021. He’ll be just a few weeks shy of his 35th birthday by that time. With Dillashaw out of the picture, Cejudo will take on Marlon Moraes for the vacant UFC bantamweight championship on June 8 at UFC 238.
Do you think T.J. Dillashaw’s suspension is beneficial to the UFC bantamweight division?
