In 2019, disgraced former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw was suspended for two years for PED use. He didn’t take a tainted supplement, or fail to read a label, or eat meat in China; instead, he shot EPO into his butt cheek. In his absence, Henry Cejudo beat Marlon Moraes to win the vacated bantamweight title, defended it once vs. Dominick Cruz, and MMA retired. Petr Yan then beat Jose Aldo to win the again vacated belt in July.
Dillashaw's suspension ends on January 18, 2021. At UFC on ESPN+ 42, two fighters beat a Marlon and called out Dillashaw
Aldo bounced back from the title shot loss with a decision win over Marlon Vera, and spoke immediately post-fight with commentator Daniel Cormier, via a translator.
“As far as the next fight, it would be Dillashaw,” said Aldo, as transcribed by Milan Ordoñez for BE. “We’ve been talking about Dillashaw a lot. Hey Dana, make it happen.”
New England Cartel fighter Rob Font TKO'd Marlon Moraes in Round 1, and at the post-fight press conference, detailed what he wants next.
“I would love to fight that guy – big name, huge name,” said Font to Dave Doyle and Ken Hathaway for MMA Junkie. “If I don’t get that fight, I would love to headline a card – either like a big name, some type of headliner. I would even fill in for the champ.”
“It feels good to beat a top guy. Everyone was always giving me s***, letting me know I wasn’t finishing or beating the top guys. I just beat a top guy so I’m just happy.”
“A year off after injury, it was tough. It was tough – a year of sitting around the house going crazy, limping around with one leg trying to shadow box, holding the sofa and trying to throw kicks, and just practicing my kung-fu, basically. It was tough. But once I got done with the rehab, once I got to the strength and conditioning phase, I’m just happy, man.”
Dillashaw responded on his social network.
https://twitter.com/TJDillashaw/status/1340489618974654464
There was a degree of controversy with complaints on the social network that referee Marc Goddard could have stopped the fight earlier.
https://twitter.com/ufc/status/1340463299402616832
“You know, reffing is a tough job,” explained Font. “He was going in and out, in and out, in and out. So yeah, I felt like, ‘C’mon man, hurry up and stop the fight.’ I could hear my corner going, ‘Keep going, keep going.’ I’ve got to rewatch some of it, but I’m not complaining. When I landed the elbow, I knew it was done.”
UG, with the last event of the year done, and Dillashaw slithering back two days after the first event in 2020, who do you want to see him fight first? Immediate title shot? Font or Aldo, and who more? Or should he have to fight Francis Ngannou?