Over the weekend at UFC 280, T.J. Dillashaw lost via second-round TKO to Aljamain Sterling at the co-main event. As he revealed during his post-fight interview, he dislocated his shoulder “a good 20 times” during training camp, and it remained problematic up until the fight itself.
“I told the ref in the back before we came out that most likely, the shoulder’s gonna pop out. If it does, I’ll get it back in, please do not stop it. Unfortunately, in the second round, I couldn’t push off my shoulder,” he told Daniel Cormier.
“This was a tough one to come into. Again, I apologize to the weight class ‘cause it’s a stacked weight class. I took up a position but I wasn’t gonna wait another year to get a shot.”
That revelation, of course, didn’t sit well with a good chunk of fans who see it as a “built-in excuse.”
Dude tj is full of excuses. After sandhagen got tj in that leg lock and tore his acl, TJ never once gave Corey credit and kept saying he tore his own acl. Same thing here, bringing up the injury instead of giving full credit to Aljo
— Angry Dana (@angry_goof) October 25, 2022
So he goes into a fight with a built in excuse, knowingly physically compromised, putting the division on hold (which he apologized for post-fight, showing culpability)… what’s the point in it all? Giant waste of time.
— Manny (@VeraPrimera) October 25, 2022
UFC veteran Cub Swanson, who apparently worked with Dillashaw for the Sterling title fight, came to the former champ’s aid on Twitter.
When I worked with TJ about 5-6 weeks before this fight he couldn’t even lift his left arm….it’s the truth
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) October 25, 2022
Because of the opportunity and self belief
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) October 25, 2022
That then opened up the discussion from fans who felt slighted by the fact that Dillashaw took the fight with the knowledge that he won’t be able to perform to the best of his abilities, and those who lost some money betting on him.
Then why fight
— ME (@show_boatin) October 25, 2022
The fans didn’t pay for PPV to watch TJ do his best defending his shoulder for a few rounds. Fair play to him for been a warrior and fighting still but the fans missed out on a competitive fight they paid for.
— Jamie stevens (@jstevens1109) October 25, 2022
Then he shouldn’t have fought..simple. It was his choice to carry on and he lost. That’s his chance blown. Same as Conor saying he came into the Dustin fight with micro-fractures…shouldn’t have fought then ♂️
— RuudboyMUFC (@Ruudboyjord) October 25, 2022
Wish i had known that before i bet my money on a tj upset
— DarbyOGill (@DarbyOG82) October 25, 2022
For that, Swanson and UFC lightweight Terrance McKinney had a response.
Why do fighters fight injured? Because we are crazy and always believe we can win. Also we are taught to push thru pain and to always seize an opportunity
— Cub Swanson (@CubSwanson) October 25, 2022
Cause we are fighters and don’t make excuses. Sick? We fight. Hurt? We fight. We don’t call in that’s what people with a desk job do
— Terrance ‘T Wrecks’ McKinney (@twrecks155) October 25, 2022
For what it’s worth, there’s been countless fighters — Dillashaw included — that have pulled out of fights for various injuries in the past, and by their own accounts, this is serious enough to have been one of them.
Dillashaw’s record dropped to 17-5 after his loss to Sterling.
About the author
