Dillashaw: Sandhagen Headliner ‘Real Title Fight’

Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw makes his long-awaited return to the Octagon opposite top contender Cory Sandhagen in the UFC Vegas 32 main event on ESPN and ESPN+ this Sat. night (July 24, 2021) inside APEX in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Dillashaw, now 35, spent more than two years on the sidelines after testing positive for EPO in the wake of his Henry Cejudo loss back in early 2019, but that doesn’t mean the former TUF guy was only successful because of performance-enhancing drugs.

“If I thought I got somewhere due to PEDs, I wouldn’t be calling out Cory Sandhagen,” Dillashaw told Brendan Schaub. “I wouldn’t be asking for someone in the top five. I wouldn’t be knowing that I’m getting my belt back. I’m going to be a fucking animal when I get back in the cage.”

The winner of Dillashaw vs. Sandhagen could be next in line for a shot at the 135-pound title, currently held by Aljamain Sterling, depending on whether or not the promotion asks “Funk Master” to rematch Petr Yan after their controversial disqualification finish at UFC 259.

“This is the real title fight,” Dillashaw insisted. “Watching Aljamain and Petr fight, I wasn’t very impressed. I know Aljamain beat Cory but I wasn’t impressed with that performance. I think this is the real title fight, I get to come out and prove myself and there’s some pressure, for sure.”

For much more on the upcoming Dillashaw vs. Sandhagen showdown click here.