Years after their bantamweight title clash at UFC 280, the rivalry between former champions Aljamain Sterling and TJ Dillashaw has been reignited. Dillashaw recently commented on their fight, calling Sterling`s striking “pure garbage.”
Aljamain Sterling successfully defended his championship against TJ Dillashaw at UFC 280, securing a TKO victory in the co-main event. For Dillashaw, this fight marked his return following a two-year suspension and recovery from a significant leg injury sustained in his 2021 fight against Cory Sandhagen.
Despite being stopped by Sterling through forceful ground-and-pound in their Octagon meeting, Dillashaw continues to dismiss Sterling`s stand-up capabilities.
Dillashaw`s Post-Fight Assessment
Speaking on the JAXXON Podcast recently, Dillashaw reflected on the loss, offering a harsh critique of his former opponent.
Dillashaw claimed, “I was fighting a guy that I felt like I could still beat with the arm that I had. I felt like I could’ve knocked him out. Yeah, [with one arm]. His striking is complete garbage.”
While Sterling is predominantly known for his elite grappling, which has been his key to success throughout his career, his striking has demonstrably improved, particularly in the lead-up to his fight with Dillashaw.
Sterling Fires Back on Social Media
It didn`t take long for Sterling to notice Dillashaw`s comments, and he quickly took to X (formerly Twitter) to issue a response.
“Respect to TJ, but 3 extra arms wouldn’t change that fight outcome. I was bigger and BETTER,” Sterling posted. He added, “What appears as `garbage` isn’t the same until we step in there and you see firsthand how I beat so many guys.”
When a follower questioned Dillashaw`s perceived overconfidence, Sterling suggested that his opponent was simply overmatched and didn`t realize it. “It’s clearly a meaningful win,” Sterling commented about their fight. “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 explained.
Following the loss at UFC 280, exacerbated by a severe shoulder injury during the fight, Dillashaw announced his retirement. While he has occasionally hinted at a potential comeback, his history of significant injuries makes another appearance in the UFC Octagon highly unlikely.
Sterling on Teammate Merab Dvalishvili`s Rematch
In related news, Sterling also offered his perspective on his teammate Merab Dvalishvili facing Sean O’Malley in an immediate rematch at UFC 316. Dvalishvili defeated O`Malley to claim the bantamweight title at UFC 306.
Though many observers criticized O`Malley receiving an immediate rematch, Sterling surprisingly defended the decision. While he believes he himself deserved an immediate rematch after losing his title to O`Malley, Sterling feels that O`Malley`s status as a major star justifies the quick booking for UFC 316. Since their first fight, Dvalishvili has defended his title against Umar Nurmagomedov, while O`Malley has been recovering from hip surgery.
Gareth Pendleton