Prior to TJ Dillashaw’s quest to reassert himself at the top of the bantamweight division and erase the PED controversy from the narrative of his career, here is a look at Joe Rogan essentially saying that such a goal is futile and that Dillashw’s legacy is permanently tainted.
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[ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: APRIL 11, 2019, 10:41 AM]
Joe Rogan weighs in on TJ Dillashaw’s two-year suspension.
Dillashaw’s 2019 has already been a disaster. He was stopped by Henry Cejudo in 32 seconds back in January. Dillashaw then failed a drug test and was suspended by the New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) for one year. At that point, Dillashaw relinquished his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) bantamweight title. The U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) laid down the hammer when they announced a two-year suspension for Dillashaw due to EPO use.
Joe Rogan Speaks On TJ Dillashaw’s Suspension
During the latest edition of his “JRE MMA Podcast,” Rogan talked about the negative impact that Dillashaw’s EPO findings have (via MMAJunkie.com):
“To me, it’s a shame because I’m a T.J. fan. I think he’s a phenomenal fighter and I’m a big fan of watching him perform. But it just taints his legacy. It just does. There’s no way around it. When you get caught cheating – this stuff, there’s no way it’s not cheating. This is just cheating. This isn’t any accident. It taints your legacy, and the guy had an amazing legacy: two-time bantamweight champion, one of the best pound-for-pound fighters.”
Dillashaw will be eligible to return after Jan. 18, 2021. At that point, he’ll be just a few weeks shy of his 35th birthday. Time will tell if Dillashaw can return to an elite level.
Do you think T.J. Dillashaw’s legacy has been tainted?
