Cory Sandhagen isn’t sold on TJ Dillashaw having any backers left.
This Saturday night (July 24), Sandhagen and Dillashaw will collide in the main event of UFC Vegas 32. Dillashaw hasn’t seen action inside the Octagon since January 2019. That’s because he had been serving a two-year USADA suspension for EPO use.
Ahead of fight night, Sandhagen told Petesy Carroll of MMA on Point that he doesn’t think anyone likes the former UFC Bantamweight Champion (h/t Middle Easy).
“When I was getting ready to fight Frankie I didn’t get a lot of like ‘Hey, I hope you knock the s—t out of him.’ I didn’t get a lot of those, but I’ve been getting a lot of ‘Hey I hope you beat the s—t out of TJ,’ so it’s definitely pretty apparent to me that he’s a disliked guy.
“I think as optics, I think it’s a good fight, too. I consider TJ to be one of the greatest bantamweights to ever fight. Him, (Dominick) Cruz, I don’t really know who else to put in that category at 135. So being able to fight one of those guys is obviously a big deal, and the fact that no one likes him and I get to come in and be the hero will be a cool thing too.”
Sandhagen has admitted that he finds Dillashaw’s past EPO drug use to be “gross.”
Sandhagen is hoping to build off the momentum of his finishing victories over Frankie Edgar and Marlon Moraes. He is currently the number two-ranked UFC bantamweight. A win for Sandhagen might get him a title opportunity and the same could be said for Dillashaw. Of course, that is simply speculation at this time.
