TJ Dillashaw says that he has taken away a lifelong lesson from his two-year USADA suspension for taking EPO.
In one of the more high-profile USADA cases since the program began in the UFC, TJ Dillashaw was hit with a two-year suspension in 2019 after testing positive for EPO. Now that his suspension has ended, many of his bantamweight peers are either ridiculing him for his actions, calling him out for a fight, or both. In an interview on the “Real Quick With Mike Swick” podcast, Dillashaw reflected on the experience and what he took away from it.
“I knew something wasn’t right, became full-blown anemic,” Dillashaw said. “(I) didn’t want to be out of the fight. It was a big payday, a big opportunity, and took the shortcut. And I guess me sitting here, the biggest thing (everyone should) take from it as well as myself is that there are no fucking shortcuts. And I’ve learned that through wrestling my whole life. My dad’s taught it to me that there are no shortcuts, and it will come around and bite you in the ass.”
For those thinking that Dillashaw got off easy, the former bantamweight champion couldn’t disagree more. He believes that what resulted from his abuse of EPO was actually the worst-case scenario for him.
“And karma’s a bitch, man. I mean, I got it to the fullest,” Dillashaw said. “I lost the fight that I knew I was the better fighter. I lost it in 30 seconds, went on a two-year suspension, I mean, it couldn’t have been worst the way it went down. But I got what I deserved, and I did my time.”
Dillashaw also sent out a message to all the bantamweights who are discrediting his entire career. He assured his peers that they will find out just how great he has always been when they are standing across the Octagon from him. Dillashaw has recently stated that he hopes his next opponent will be for the bantamweight championship, which has been a major source of the ridicule he has received from other bantamweights in the division.
The bantamweight title will be on the line this Saturday at UFC 259 when Petr Yan defends against Aljamain Sterling. Yan has expressed an interest in fighting Dillashaw in a title fight while Sterling believes Dillashaw should earn it. So there’s no doubt that the former bantamweight champion will be all eyes this Saturday when the first of three title fights kicks off.
How do you think TJ Dillashaw will bounce back from his two-year USADA suspension?
