Tonight in the main event of UFC Vegas 32, we will see a pivotal matchup in the bantamweight division. Former undisputed champion TJ Dillashaw (16-4) will be making his return after a two-year suspension for performance enhancing drugs.
Standing in Dillashaw’s way at UFC Vegas 32 is top contender Cory Sandhagen (14-2). Sandhagen is being touted as a future UFC champion. To prove he’s still one of the best in the world, Dillashaw is going to have to defeat The Sandman.
Tonight is a big moment for TJ Dillashaw. Dillashaw was on top of the world just a few years ago. He was the undisputed UFC bantamweight champion and he was ranked in the top five in the pound-for-pound rankings.
People were already calling him the greatest bantamweight that’s ever lived. It seemed that he had cemented his legacy as a future UFC Hall of Famer. After Dillashaw defeated Cody Garbrandt for a second time, Dillashaw wanted to achieve history.
Dillashaw wanted to move down and fight Henry Cejudo for the UFC flyweight title. The bantamweight champion got that shot but ultimately came up short. However, he tested positive for EPO which is one of the worst PEDs you can test positive for.
UFC Vegas 32’s Defining Moment
After being notified of the positive result, Dillashaw relinquished the UFC bantamweight title. He was suspended and his entire legacy was thrown down the drain. Dillashaw had turned to EPO after struggling to maintain energy while cutting to 125 pounds.
Now, it’s worth noting that Dillashaw had never tested positive while he was UFC champion. However, it really doesn’t matter at the end of the day. Dillashaw will always have that dark cloud hanging over his legacy.
That said, UFC Vegas 32 is a moment of retribution for Dillashaw. Dillashaw has been honest and transparent about everything that has occurred with him. He immediately owned up to the mistake he made and detailed exactly what happened.
Now, he’s reinstated and he’s ready to regain his spot at the top of the sport. While Dillashaw will never be able to wipe away the stain of that EPO test, he can prove to the world that he didn’t need it to be a special fighter.
If TJ Dillashaw defeats Cory Sandhagen at UFC Vegas 32 after a two and a half year layoff, it says a lot about how special TJ Dillashaw is as a fighter. While a win would showcase his talent, it will also be a moment of sadness knowing the mistake he made was completely unnecessary.