Former UFC Bantamweight Champion TJ Dillashaw’s MMA career has come to an end due to devastating shoulder injuries, while past controversies continue to shadow his legacy. The star recently opened up about both his phyical struggles and previous USADA test issues in a revealing conversation with The Casuals MMA podcast.
Dillashaw’s current condition is so severe that he cannot even raise his left arm, struggling with basic tasks like combing his hair or drinking water. After multiple surgeries, doctors attempted innovative techniques to save his shoulder, including a trap transfer where they transplanted a piece of his lower trap muscle into his shoulder to replace torn rotator cuffs. When that proved insufficient, a second surgery utilized a piece of his lat muscle to tighten the joint.
“My rotator cuffs have essentially turned into beef jerky,” Dillashaw explained. “The muscles aren’t firing, so my shoulder just sits uptight and I can’t lift my arm.”
The root of these problems emerged during his camp for Aljamain Sterling, where he experienced approximately 20 shoulder dislocations, becoming eerily proficient at repositioning the joint himself. The damage proved irreversible, and medical professionals indicate he will likely require a reverse shoulder replacement.
Adding another layer to Dillashaw’s complex career narrative, he addressed his controversial test failure, revealing he used an anemia meds during his weight cut to 125 pounds. In his discussion on The Casuals MMA podcast, he described experiencing severe anemia while preparing for his bout against Henry Cejudo.
“I went full-blown anemic… my hematocrits were in the mid-30s. I would wake up in the morning cold, freezing cold. I had no energy.”
While acknowledging that procrit was a banned substance, Dillashaw maintained his use was medically motivated rather than an attempt to skirt the rules. He pointed to subsequent testing of his samples from 2016 onwards, which consistently came back clean.
“Not only did I already pass those dr*g tests, but I passed them a second time. Would I just forget how to ch eat?”
Despite these setbacks, Dillashaw remains optimistic about his future. Though his MMA career has ended, he’s channeling his competitive spirit into his nutrition company and focusing on family time.
