T.J. Dillashaw Has Embraced Being the 'Bad Guy'
T.J. Dillashaw Has Embraced Being the 'Bad Guy'
By Jim Edwards
With the UFC 200 card so packed with big names and stars, one man flying under the radar this week is the former UFC bantamweight champion, TJ Dillashaw.
While some in the organization would be disappointed at the lack of attention their bout had received heading into fight night, for Dillashaw, the lack of media work has been somewhat of a relief after a turbulent year of feuding with his former teammates at Team Alpha Male and Dominick Cruz that got more than their fair share of headlines.
Since losing his bantamweight title back in January, Dillashaw has enjoyed being his time out of the spotlight and he says that he's used the time to learn some lesson from his defeat to Cruz.
"What I learned from that fight was that I had to take some confidence away from that fight," Dillashaw said. "I thought it was a close fight and I know Cruz is a good fighter but I've got to take confidence away from my performance and use it continue to build on my previous success.
"I need to go in there on Saturday night and win this fight and prove to everyone that I'm the better man."
Dillashaw lost that fight to Cruz via split decision and to this day maintains that he should have been the main with his hand raised at the end of the fight. Straight after the fight, Dillashaw asked for a rematch but was overlooked with his former mentor Urijah Faber who got the nod. Dillashaw revealed how the situation played out.
"Two weeks after the fight I went and met with Lorenzo and Shelby and even they thought I won the fight," Dillashaw revealed. "They told me I was a great contender to get the next title shot but they said they had a few things in the works and they said they would let me know.
"Unfortunately, things didn't sway my way as just a few weeks later I find out on social media that Faber had got the fight. I think the fight eventually proceed they got the wrong decision but it was what was. Of course, I was disappointed because I thought I won the first fight and so did they. I thought that would give me a great chance of getting the immediate rematch but they chose to give it to Urijah instead. Like I said it was super disappointing but now that's all in the past."
Dillashaw's only defeats in the past two years have come via decisions that could have arguably been scored in his favour. One of these of these was against the man he faces on Saturday night, Raphael Assunção. For that reason, the Brazilian is another man who Dillashaw feels he needs to get revenge on.
"That was another fight I definitely thought I won (against Assuncao)," Dillashaw said. "It was a split decision in Brazil so it's nice that on my way back to the title I get to avenge this loss as well and then I get to do the same thing against Cruz."
Despite having had some bad experiences with the judges already in the career already, the former bantamweight champion doesn't feel the need to get desperate for a finish and says that he will be his usual aggressive self on Saturday night.
"I always fight for the finish, that's something no one can ever dispute," Dillashaw said. "There's never been a fight where I've never not been pushing for the finish and that's why my fights are always so entertaining.
"I already have six bonuses in the UFC in my career so that's no coincidence. I'm exciting and I push for the win and I'm looking for that knockout at all times."
Dillashaw's feuds last year with fan favorites Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz vilified him to a large portion of UFC fans and Conor McGregor's accusation of him being a 'snake in the grass' still to this day see his social media notifications filled full of snake emoji's.
It's been a classic case of the American hero who conquered Renan Barao, heel turning into a villain, but for Dillashaw, no matter the role he plays in the fans mind's, he's just happy to stay relevant.
"I don't prefer either role to be totally honest," Dillashaw said. "Of course being the good guy is always easier but to be honest I've always had more attention when I'm the bad guy in everything.
"There are guys that have made a lot of money being the bad guy so you got to take whatever you are given and run with it."
For Dillashaw, the mission Saturday night is simple; avenge a loss to put himself in the best position to avenge another.
"Absolutely I'm going to be calling for that title shot after I win," Dillashaw said. "I deserve to get my rematch Cruz and I'm going to be pushing for it hard. I'll take it anytime, any place, but first, I'm going to deal with this guy on Saturday night."
With the UFC 200 card so packed with big names and stars, one man flying under the radar this week is the former UFC bantamweight champion, TJ Dillashaw.
While some in the organization would be disappointed at the lack of attention their bout had received heading into fight night, for Dillashaw, the lack of media work has been somewhat of a relief after a turbulent year of feuding with his former teammates at Team Alpha Male and Dominick Cruz that got more than their fair share of headlines.
Since losing his bantamweight title back in January, Dillashaw has enjoyed being his time out of the spotlight and he says that he's used the time to learn some lesson from his defeat to Cruz.
"What I learned from that fight was that I had to take some confidence away from that fight," Dillashaw said. "I thought it was a close fight and I know Cruz is a good fighter but I've got to take confidence away from my performance and use it continue to build on my previous success.
"I need to go in there on Saturday night and win this fight and prove to everyone that I'm the better man."
Dillashaw lost that fight to Cruz via split decision and to this day maintains that he should have been the main with his hand raised at the end of the fight. Straight after the fight, Dillashaw asked for a rematch but was overlooked with his former mentor Urijah Faber who got the nod. Dillashaw revealed how the situation played out.
"Two weeks after the fight I went and met with Lorenzo and Shelby and even they thought I won the fight," Dillashaw revealed. "They told me I was a great contender to get the next title shot but they said they had a few things in the works and they said they would let me know.
"Unfortunately, things didn't sway my way as just a few weeks later I find out on social media that Faber had got the fight. I think the fight eventually proceed they got the wrong decision but it was what was. Of course, I was disappointed because I thought I won the first fight and so did they. I thought that would give me a great chance of getting the immediate rematch but they chose to give it to Urijah instead. Like I said it was super disappointing but now that's all in the past."
Dillashaw's only defeats in the past two years have come via decisions that could have arguably been scored in his favour. One of these of these was against the man he faces on Saturday night, Raphael Assunção. For that reason, the Brazilian is another man who Dillashaw feels he needs to get revenge on.
"That was another fight I definitely thought I won (against Assuncao)," Dillashaw said. "It was a split decision in Brazil so it's nice that on my way back to the title I get to avenge this loss as well and then I get to do the same thing against Cruz."
Despite having had some bad experiences with the judges already in the career already, the former bantamweight champion doesn't feel the need to get desperate for a finish and says that he will be his usual aggressive self on Saturday night.
"I always fight for the finish, that's something no one can ever dispute," Dillashaw said. "There's never been a fight where I've never not been pushing for the finish and that's why my fights are always so entertaining.
"I already have six bonuses in the UFC in my career so that's no coincidence. I'm exciting and I push for the win and I'm looking for that knockout at all times."
Dillashaw's feuds last year with fan favorites Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz vilified him to a large portion of UFC fans and Conor McGregor's accusation of him being a 'snake in the grass' still to this day see his social media notifications filled full of snake emoji's.
It's been a classic case of the American hero who conquered Renan Barao, heel turning into a villain, but for Dillashaw, no matter the role he plays in the fans mind's, he's just happy to stay relevant.
"I don't prefer either role to be totally honest," Dillashaw said. "Of course being the good guy is always easier but to be honest I've always had more attention when I'm the bad guy in everything.
"There are guys that have made a lot of money being the bad guy so you got to take whatever you are given and run with it."
For Dillashaw, the mission Saturday night is simple; avenge a loss to put himself in the best position to avenge another.
"Absolutely I'm going to be calling for that title shot after I win," Dillashaw said. "I deserve to get my rematch Cruz and I'm going to be pushing for it hard. I'll take it anytime, any place, but first, I'm going to deal with this guy on Saturday night."