TJ Dillashaw is one of the most recent fighters to vocalize their frustrations towards the UFC. His grievances are mainly rooted on the UFC’s decision pass him over for a title shot and give it to former Alpha Male teammate Cody Garbrandt, instead.
Dillashaw says he felt “tricked” when he signed a new eight-fight deal with the company after his UFC 200 win over Raphael Assuncao, as it came along with the promise that he would be “pushed” to get the next title shot. Instead, he was slated to face John Lineker this Friday at UFC 207, and if a victory still does not get him a crack at the belt, the former bantamweight champion says he will be switching to another weight class.
“I don’t make enough money to wait [for a title shot]. I can’t sit on the shelf and just wait,” Dillashaw said during a media scrum on Wednesday (via MMA Fighting). “I’ve got too big of goals in life so I’m gonna continue to fight, I’m not gonna sit around and wait. I said after my last fight I was gonna take no fight other than a title fight but look, I’m taking the No. 2 guy again.”
“I’m not gonna wait around forever to get a belt back… If I’m gonna continue to get overlooked, if Cruz is gonna continue to pick guys in the top 10 instead of the top 5 I might have to go [to another division]. The goal is to have a belt around my waist.”
Dillashaw is not at all happy at the current match-up between Dominick Cruz and Garbrandt, as he feels it was all a ploy by the company to take extra care of the current 135-pound champion.
“I don’t know if it’s the UFC trying to promote Dominick Cruz to keep him on top so he can have a nice, comfy desk job after this is all done and said and have a good name for it or if it’s just because Cody’s very colorful and willing to say stupid s—t and talk crap. He’ll make himself look like a fool to get what he wants,” Dillashaw said.
“You saw the build up. After Cody beat No. 11, they’re going back and forth from Cody and Cruz up in the booth. This thing was completely built. It was built from the beginning. I do think [Cruz] is hand selecting and choosing what fights he wants. I think he’s being a powder puff champion.”