UFC bantamweight Cory Sandhagen was not happy to see T.J. Dillashaw fight with a debilitating shoulder injury at UFC 280. Dillashaw was mauled by 135-pound champ Aljamain Sterling on the night, and retired shortly afterward, with his final UFC appearance marred by the shoulder injury that Dillashaw was sporting as he walked into the Octagon. Sandhagen told MiddleEasy that he didn’t like that turn of events one bit.
“It wasn’t cool. I think he didn’t handle that situation like a gentleman. I think that while you don’t have to care super deeply and compassionately about your opponents — because it’s hard to do that when you’re competing against them at the high level — I do think that you have to have some levels of compassion for the other people that are in your division.
Sandhagen Slams Sterling vs Dillashaw
I think he showed a giant lack of compassion and caring about the other people in his division. That’s his way of living, I don’t really judge it too harshly, but I do think it was not that cool of a move.”
Sandhagen also pointed out that Dillashaw’s choice to retire shortly after UFC 280 is probably the right one, considering where Dillashaw is up to in his career.
“I think that’s the right call for T.J. I think he really blew it in his last title shot. I don’t really know who the UFC would match him up with. He’s getting a little bit older, he’s set in life.
I do know that T.J. is one of the most competitive guys that I know, so I think that’s the only thing that’s gonna keep him in the loop or at least keep his imagination in the world of fighting. I don’t think it would be a wise warrior move to continue to fight when he’s getting older and well off right now.”
As for Cory Sandhagen, he lost a controversial decision to Dillashaw, but got back to winning ways with a TKO win over Song Yadong in September. He will face Marlon “Chito” Vera next, and could string together a title shot of his own with a victory on the night.
“I think I have a lot more ways to win as I think I typically do just because I am a very technical guy. I think the way that ‘Chito’s’ been winning isn’t a highly reliable way of winning. What I mean by that is he’s losing most of his fights then catches the person and hits them hard — the guy obviously must hit hard — but the people that he’s also knocking out and dropping are people that have kind of shown signs of that happening fairly easy for them anyway. Whereas me, I have a very good chin on me.”
Is Cory Sandhagen right about T.J. Dillashaw? Let us know in the comments.
