‘I Had So Much More To Give Still’

Former two-time undisputed bantamweight champion, T.J. Dillashaw has firmly shut down rumors of a return to combat sports off the back of his retirement from fighting back 2022, claiming he is definitely “done”. 

Dillashaw, a former two-time undisputed bantamweight champion, called time on his career in mixed martial arts two years ago following an unsuccessful title challenge against fellow former champion, Aljamain Sterling.

Suffering a flare up of a pre-existing shoulder injury during the early goings of his title charge against the above-mentioned, Sterling, ex-champion, Dillashaw was dispatched in dominant fashion by the Uniondale native, dropping a second round TKO loss in Abu Dhabi, UAE.

T.J. Dillashaw confirms fighting career is definitely over

And still dealing with shoulder issues following a slew of reconstructive surgical procedures, Angels Camp native, Dillashaw confirmed this week that he is “done” with fighting, definitively, amid recent links to a second comeback to the Octagon.

“It’s exciting, and it’s sad at the same time,” T.J. Dillashaw spoke of the bantamweight division during an appearance on the JAXXON Podcast. “Like, I’m f*cking done, you know what I mean? I was forced out of the sport and it sucks. I felt like I had so much more to give still. It is exciting [to watch fights]. But that’s that way I look at it.”

Divulging an update on his shoulder issue, Dillashaw admitted he will likely never regain full strength of it again, describing the lingering injury as “depressing”.

“I can’t even raise my arm up in the air yet,” T.J. Dillashaw explained. “I don’t ever know if my shoulder is ever going to be the same again. It’s f*cking depressing. As a competitor, you have to be delusionally optimistic, but that’s also what got me in this position, too. It’s just gotten worse and worse from each surgery.”

Would you have liked to see T.J. Dillashaw continue his UFC career?