After his comeback was initially delayed, T.J. Dillashaw is once again booked for his return to UFC competition.
A former bantamweight champion, Dillashaw will headline UFC Fight Night on July 24 against surging 135-pound contender and former training partner Cory Sandhagen. The event does not currently have an announced location or venue.
The matchup was original set for May 8, but Dillashaw (16-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) was forced to withdraw after he suffered a cut above his eye in training less than two weeks out, and Sandhagen (14-2 MMA, 7-1 UFC) opted not to accept a replacement opponent.
Three people with knowledge of the matchup verified the booking to MMA Junkie on Tuesday but asked to remain anonymous because the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.
Dillashaw, 35, recently completed a two-year U.S. Anti-Doping Agency suspension stemming from a positive drug test for EPO in January 2019 – the testing timeframe of his first-round TKO loss in a flyweight title challenge against then-champion Henry Cejudo.
The fight in which Dillashaw tested was his first attempt at flyweight competition, and it came on the heels of a four-fight winning streak that included back-to-back TKO wins over rival Cody Garbrandt. His comeback will mark his first bout in 30 months.
As for Sandhagen, he’s been unblemished in his UFC tenure minus an 88-second loss to Aljamain Sterling last June. Since that defeat, Sandhagen has won back-to-back fights by knockout. In October, Sandhagen defeated Marlon Moraes by spinning wheel kick and punches before he earned a potential 2021 “Knockout of the Year” candidate with a brutal flying knee knockout of Frankie Edgar in February.
With the addition, the UFC’s July 24 lineup now includes:
- T.J. Dillashaw vs. Cory Sandhagen
- Maycee Barber vs. Miranda Maverick
- Macy Chiasson vs. Aspen Ladd
- Trevin Jones vs. Tony Kelley
- Raphael Assuncao vs. Kyler Phillips
- Mickey Gall vs. Jordan Williams
- Randy Costa vs. Adrian Yanez
- Ian Heinisch vs. Nassourdine Imavov
- Julio Arce vs. Andre Ewell
T.J. Dillashaw’s return vs. Cory Sandhagen rebooked for UFC Fight Night on July 24