T.J. Dillashaw Talks About 'Enemy for Life' Cejudo, Desire To Regain Belt after Suspension

T.J. Dillashaw may still be quite a way from returning to the Octagon, but he has some definite plans for when he gets back.

The 33-year-old former Ultimate Fighting Championship bantamweight kingpin last fought back in January and was finished by Henry Cejudo in just 32 seconds, then was handed a two-year suspension by the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) for taking recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO) after failing a test taken two days after that fight. That suspension leaves Dillashaw eligible to return in January 2021.

In a recent interview with Chael Sonnen, Dillashaw said that despite his lengthy suspension he still aspires to be champion again. Dillashaw proclaimed his frustration with the whole situation, which is made worse seeing Cejudo walking around with the belt (via MMAJunkie.com).

“I definitely have some animosity towards myself, towards the sport, just everything,” Dillashaw said. “I have some enemies that are definitely going to stay my enemies for the rest of my life. I wouldn’t say it’s because (Cejudo) is a (expletive) talker, it’s more just the way he carries himself.

“It’s just something that I want back, not so much because he’s bad-mouthed or treated me a certain way. It’s just something that is burning inside of me, to get my belt back, to get that win back, to get back to where I need to be to get this thing behind me.”

Dillashaw did admit to seeing a silver lining in the suspension, as it would allow him to undergo much-needed and long-postponed surgery on both shoulders. The former champ says he hasn’t done any martial arts training since the procedure.

“I haven’t done any sort of practicing,” Dillashaw said. “I’ve been getting back in shape. I’m finally able to run. I’ve been working out my legs, things like that, but when it comes to the martial arts side of it, I haven’t even had the chance to do anything.”

Dillashaw voluntarily relinquished his bantamweight belt in the days before his positive test result was made public, and Cejudo claimed that one as well in an impressive come-from-behind victory against Marlon Moraes. Despite winning the 135-pound belt, Dillashaw believes Cejudo should defend his 125-pound title next as he has a serious challenge ahead of him in Joseph Benavidez, who actually beat him the last time they met.

“I think it would be very dumb for Cejudo not to fight Joseph Benavidez,” Dillashaw said. “That’s his last loss; that’s a fight that he has to make up. I think Joseph Benavidez has a great threat against him, too. That’s the fight that needs to happen, and he can’t be calling himself ‘Triple C’ no more if he’s going to be giving up a belt, so he needs to go down there and get it done and fight Joseph Benavidez.

“I think that’s the next fight for him. It makes the most sense. It’s the biggest draw. It’s a fight that was close, but Joseph did edge that fight out.”