TJ Dillashaw is looking to fully recover from his knee surgery in just three months.
Dillashaw returned to the Octagon in July after being away from action for over two and a half years. He went one-on-one with Cory Sandhagen in the main event of UFC Vegas 32. Dillashaw ended up winning the fight via split decision.
During the fight, Dillashaw suffered multiple tears in his knee. The good news is, he did not suffer an ACL tear, which would’ve kept him out of action for a lengthy period of time.
During an appearance on the UFC 265 Calabasas Fight Companion, Dillashaw said he should return to training in three months (h/t MMAJunkie.com).
“I had a medial meniscus bucket handle tear, a lateral meniscus tear, and a PCL tear. I’m just glad it wasn’t ACL. I’m happy with the results because it would’ve been nine months (if it would’ve been an ACL tear).
“I’m looking at a three-month recovery right now until I get back to training, (then) fight for the title at the beginning of next year.”
Before the Sandhagen fight, Dillashaw served a two-year suspension handed out by USADA. This was due to Dillashaw testing positive for EPO use. Had his knee injury been more severe, the 35-year-old Dillashaw would’ve had another setback on his hands.
Dillashaw recalled the moment he knew there was something wrong with his knee.
“So it was the last 30 seconds of the round, and I was in like a lazy leglock, We were in the 50/50 position, and I was completely out of it, but I was chilling. I knew I won the round, so I was going to sit up top and let the round finish out, but then he turned and started punching me. So I was like, ‘All right, b*tch,’ and I started hitting him back for my own ground-and-pound.
“I came in hard on my own leg and started ground-and-pounding, and we got into a scramble. He tried to get up on his feet, and I went to sit up on top, so I leaned my chest over my own body, and at the same time my LCL just went, ‘pow.’ It was loud, dude. I’m surprised he didn’t hear it or feel it because I heard it when it happened. As soon as the round was over, I sat down and I said, ‘My knee is f*cked.’ They bleeped it out because it’s ESPN.”
