Despite some lingering issues, T.J. Dillashaw still respects what Urijah Faber has done for the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA).
Dillashaw, who is a former member of Faber’s Team Alpha Male gym, had a falling out with “The California Kid” when he left for Elevation Fight Team. Dillashaw claims he was kicked out of Team Alpha Male, while Faber says Dillashaw made him out to be the bad guy.
On July 8, Dillashaw will battle Cody Garbrandt for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight title at UFC 213. Garbrandt and Dillashaw have already shown some animosity on “The Ultimate Fighter: Redemption” season. “No Love” is a standout at Team Alpha Male.
Despite the bad blood, Dillashaw gives credit where it’s due. During a recent appearance on the UFC Unfiltered podcast, Dillashaw said Faber’s place in the UFC Hall of Fame is justified (via MMA Weekly):
“When I was in wrestling in college, he was a guy that I looked up to when he was fighting – someone that had made it from a wrestling background. He wrestled at University of California (at) Davis. He paved the way for us. He was a very popular small guy; the first one. He’s been around for a long time, so he definitely deserves it.”
