UFC Bantamweight Champion Aljamain Sterling wants TJ Dillashaw to be held responsible for his history of using PEDs while competing.
On October 22, Sterling and Dillashaw are scheduled to square off at UFC 280. The current bantamweight champion will square off against the challenger as Dillashaw prepares to enter the Octagon for the second time after a two-year suspension.
Dillashaw was suspended after a 2019 contest for the flyweight championship resulted in an EPO test that was positive. In July of last year, he defeated Cory Sandhagen in his comeback match.
Despite the intense interest in the Sterling-Dillashaw clash, Sterling feels that the fans and the MMA media should do a better job of emphasizing Dillashaw’s past PED usage.
In a conversation with Oscar Willis, Sterling alluded to Cody Garbrandt’s earlier allegations against Dillashaw as the start of the PED discussion.
Sterling stated about Dillashaw:
“The difference between Petr Yan and TJ Dillashaw, TJ was confirmed years ago that he was . But I’m not gonna be a whistleblower because I don’t have the facts, I don’t have the evidence.”
“Cody [said] it at the press conference, and everyone was just brushing around and I’m just like, you guys are the media. Why aren’t you talking about this? He literally told you.”
Dillashaw has previously said that he took Procrit, a medication containing EPO, to treat anemia brought on by a tight diet and demanding workouts.
In several interviews, he apologized and accepted responsibility for the offence.
Since Sterling’s victory against Yan at UFC 273, Dillashaw and Sterling have been headed toward each other. When the 135-pound titleholder called Dillashaw out in his octagon interview, he was watching from cageside.
The animosity between Sterling and Dillashaw will be front and center during UFC 280 media week, but the debate surrounding Dillashaw’s questionable background has just begun.