The UFC has rebooked one of the most highly anticipated matchups of the summer. MMA Junkie was the first to report this evening that the promotion has landed on a new date for the headliner between TJ Dillashaw (16-4) and Cory Sandhagen (14-2).
The matchup will not headline the UFC‘s Fight Night on July 24th. Originally, the two were supposed to headline a Fight Night on May 8th. This matchup was being looked at as a bantamweight title eliminator.
However, Dillashaw suffered a nasty cut in training and the fight was called off. Since then, the UFC has been working towards a new date and tonight, the deal was finalized for July 24th.
With a title shot off the table for Cory Sandhagen, the next best thing in this shot against TJ Dillashaw. He’s getting to fight the UFC former champion with a title shot on the line.
The Sandman has seen his stock rise a ton over the past few months. After a slipup against Aljamain Sterling back at UFC 250, Sandhagen scored highlight reel knockouts over Marlon Moraes and Frankie Edgar.
Knocking out the former UFC lightweight champion in the manner that he did really showed people how good Sandhagen is. Now, he’s going to get the fight that he wanted in taking on the returning TJ Dillashaw.
Dillashaw’s UFC return
After two and a half years away, TJ Dillashaw is finally returning to the octagon. The former UFC bantamweight champion came off of a suspension that ended in January which kept him away since January 2019.
Dillashaw never lost his title inside the octagon. The former champion was forced to relinquish the title after he popped for EPO after his failed attempt to become a two-division UFC champion against Henry Cejudo.
Dillashaw said that he took it to assist with his energy levels as he was trying to make 125 pounds. He insists that he’s never taken it before. However, there have been a lot of questions regarding Dillashaw’s potential use of EPO prior to the Cejudo fight.
With that, many are wondering just how good TJ Dillashaw is. Well, the former UFC champion gets the opportunity to show the world on May 8th. If he comes out and dominates Cory Sandhagen while passing all drug tests, that will say a lot about how good TJ Dillashaw really is.