Category: Viral
Category Added in a WPeMatico Campaign
“I know exactly what they need and I know that I could help them, but I don’t have the clearance.”
Animated Kevin Malone stickers, Latte Larry mugs, and earring DIY kits? Don’t mind if I do.
TJ Dillashaw hasn’t competed in the UFC since he attempted to dethrone then-featherweight king Henry Cejudo in the UFC on ESPN 1 main event back in January 2019. After suffering a TKO loss, the bantamweight champion was hit with a two-year suspension and forced to relinquish his title as a result of a positive drug test.
Plenty has changed in his short break away from the UFC, with Cejudo moving up and taking his place at the top of the bantamweight division. But despite plenty of competition at 135 pounds, Dillashaw says he was told he’d step right back into title contention when he returns to the Octagon in less than a year.
“I was told I would get that title fight when I came back, but that doesn’t mean anything,” Dillashaw told MMA Junkie. “I made a mistake – I don’t own rights to anything. But if it was my choice, it would be title fight, if not top-five to prove I should get that title fight. I think that makes sense.”
Cejudo is currently slated to fight Jose Aldo at UFC 250, but called on Dominick Cruz — who hasn’t fought in more than three years — as his potential replacement. Should Dillashaw not step right back into title contention, he may have his work cut out for him with emerging bantamweight standouts such as Marlon Moraes, Aljamain Sterling and Petr Yan.
UFC president Dana White was adamant about keeping his events up and running throughout the COVID-19 outbreak before ultimately postponing three events beginning in mid-March. Since then, he’s maintained the organization would hold UFC 249 despite other sports organizations continuing to halt normal business operations. That card appears to be at the finish line with Monday’s announcement of Tony Ferguson against Justin Gaethje in the main event emanating from an undisclosed location on April 18.
But UFC 249 is just the first step in White’s apparent master plan to keep his business thriving, telling TMZ Sports late Monday that he is “a day or two away” from closing a deal for a private island where he can hold fights during the coronavirus pandemic.
During the interview, White acknowledged he has the UFC 249 venue for two months, where he plans to host fights every week. From there, if he secures the private island, he’ll be able to host international fighters on private planes. White is guaranteeing that they’ll be tested for COVID-19 and the UFC will ensure fighters will be healthy coming into their bouts, but there will certainly be understandable questions about whether they can do so effectively.
Should White get clearance, this could open the door for some of the summer’s most anticipated fights, starting with Henry Cejudo’s scheduled return to the Octagon against Jose Aldo at UFC 250.