Years after their bout at UFC 280, former UFC bantamweight standout TJ Dillashaw recently reignited his rivalry with Aljamain Sterling by labeling Sterling`s striking as “pure garbage.”
Despite their championship clash being well in the past, the verbal sparring continues between the two former titleholders. Sterling successfully defended his bantamweight championship against Dillashaw with a TKO victory in the co-main event of UFC 280. This fight was notable as Dillashaw`s second appearance after returning from a two-year USADA suspension, following a challenging split decision win against Cory Sandhagen in 2021 where he suffered a significant leg injury.
Even though Sterling secured the win via dominant ground-and-pound, Dillashaw remains unimpressed by his former opponent`s stand-up game.
Sterling Responds to Dillashaw`s Critique
Speaking on the JAXXON Podcast, Dillashaw reflected on the loss at UFC 280 and offered a harsh assessment of Sterling.
“I was fighting a guy that I felt like I could still beat with the arm that I had,” Dillashaw said of Sterling. “I felt like I could’ve knocked him out. Yeah, [with one arm]. “His striking is complete garbage.”
Sterling is widely recognized for his exceptional grappling skills, which have been his primary weapon throughout his career. However, he has demonstrated significant improvement in his striking over recent years, enhancements that were evident leading up to his fight with Dillashaw.
Dillashaw`s comments quickly circulated online, and it wasn`t long before Sterling addressed them on social media platform X.
“Respect to TJ, but 3 extra arms wouldn’t change that fight outcome. I was bigger and BETTER,” Sterling posted. “What’s appears as “garbage” isn’t the same until we step in there and you see firsthand how I beat so many guys.”
Responding to a follower who questioned Dillashaw`s ego regarding the UFC 280 fight, Sterling suggested the former champion had underestimated him.
“It’s clearly a meaningful win. He legitimately thought he’d win and thought he’d knock me out. Meaningful all the way. He just didn’t know he was out of his league. And that is the mistake he made,” Sterling stated.
Dillashaw announced his retirement shortly after the loss due to the severe shoulder injury sustained during the fight. While there have been hints about a potential comeback, his history of medical issues makes a return to competitive fighting seem unlikely.
Sterling Discusses Sean O`Malley`s Immediate Rematch Against Merab Dvalishvili
Shifting topics, the article notes Sterling`s teammate, Merab Dvalishvili, is scheduled to face Sean O’Malley at UFC 316 next month. This bout is a rematch of their UFC 306 encounter where Dvalishvili claimed the bantamweight title with a unanimous decision victory over O`Malley.
Many within the MMA community criticized the decision to grant O`Malley an immediate rematch, but Sterling expressed a surprisingly open view. While he believes he personally deserved an immediate rematch against O`Malley after losing his title, Sterling acknowledged that O`Malley`s significant popularity and star power likely influenced the UFC`s decision for the UFC 316 booking.
Between his two fights with O`Malley, Dvalishvili successfully defended his belt against the previously undefeated Umar Nurmagomedov at UFC 311. O`Malley has not competed since the first Dvalishvili fight, having undergone hip surgery.
Jack Thornley