T.J. Dillashaw

See the top Twitter reactions to Aljamain Sterling's title defense against T.J. Dillashaw in the UFC 280 co-main event.

Dillashaw leaves the cage after failing to secure a third reign. A heartbroken T.J. Dillashaw via TKO (ground-and-pound) – Round 2, 3:44 – to defend bantamweight title Dillashaw ( [@TJDillashaw]) find out who is king, next! [@funkmasterMMA]) and T.J. [Aljamain Sterling](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/tag/aljamain-sterling) added a second title defense to his bantamweight reign Saturday when he defeated [T.J.

Follow the UFC 280 live blog for Aljamain Sterling vs. T.J. Dillashaw, the bantamweight title fight on Saturday in Abu Dhabi.

[Henry Cejudo](https://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/2186/henry-cejudo) in 2019. [UFC 280](https://www.mmafighting.com/fight-card/1330/ufc-280) live blog for [Aljamain Sterling](https://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/1528/aljamain-sterling) vs. Dillashaw](https://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/1257/t-j-dillashaw), the bantamweight title fight on Saturday in Abu Dhabi.

Sterling was defending his bantamweight title for the second time agains the former 135lb ruler who was fighting for just the second time since returning ...

In the final prelim fight, Belal Muhammad inflicted a first defeat on Sean Brady to enhance his chances of a welterweight title shot. The challenger's shoulder popped back out midway through the round to leave his arm hanging by his side - and the fight was eventually stopped following a final flurry of ground-and-pound. Sterling dominated from the opening bell but was handed a significant advantage when Dillashaw's shoulder popped out in the opening minute.

Aljamain Sterling picked up a dominant win over an injured TJ Dillashaw to retain his bantamweight belt in Abu Dhabi.'The Funk Master' showcased his d.

I apologize to the weight class. “Hats off to Aljamain for doing what he does. The two-time UFC champion went back to the corner and his coach managed to pop his shoulder back into place, allowing the fight to continue but it seemed to be a matter of time before he was taken out.

Aljamain Sterling beat TJ Dillashaw, who was dealing with a dislocated shoulder, via TKO at 3:44 of the second round to retain his UFC bantamweight title.

"Any of those guys are good," Sterling said. Sterling, 33, defended the belt successfully in a rematch against Yan in a very tight split decision at UFC 273 in April. The California native was coming off a split decision over "I was just in the zone. "I full mounted him, I rolled his arms up," Sterling said. The first round mainly consisted of Sterling taking Dillashaw down, keeping him there and doing some damage from top position and the back. He was in great shape. "I've got to apologize to the weight class. Sterling kept the pressure on, took Dillashaw down and used big punches and elbows from back control to get the TKO. I made sure I kept the pressure on, do what I need to do. "I had no idea," Sterling said of Dillashaw's injury. Sterling retained the UFC bantamweight title with the victory, though there were some other circumstances at play that were out of his hands.

Dillashaw had an uphill battle, revealing that he entered his title fight against Sterling with a significant pre-existing injury.

Sterling snatched a D'Arce choke attempt and wound up with a back mount. Goddard, according to UFC commentator Jon Anik, informed the broadcast team that Dillashaw's injury was disclosed to him before the fight. Dillashaw remarkably toughed it out, surviving rear-naked choke attempts and making it to his feet. Sterling mauled Dillashaw over the course of two rounds in which Dillashaw was afflicted with a recurring shoulder injury. It did not take long for Sterling to mount Dillashaw and land big punches. Sterling took down Dillashaw early in Round 1 and Dillashaw's shoulder appeared to pop out of place, eliciting a grimace from the former champ.

Aljamain Sterling successfully held on to his UFC bantamweight championship with a second-round TKO win over TJ Dillashaw in the co-main event of UFC 280 at ...

Marlon "Chito" Vera has been impressive lately and has a win over O'Malley. Sterling was referring to Yan's main card matchup with Sean O'Malley. Sterling dominated the round going from mount to back control, threatening with rear-naked choke attempts and ground-and-pound throughout the round. His reign as champion has been defined by his rivalry with Petr Yan. Aljo wasted not time in dragging the fight to his waters. He wins his fight, I win my fight, we’ll see what happens.”

Sterling took Dillashaw down immediately and the shoulder popped out. It was all downhill from there for the former bantamweight champion.

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See the top Twitter reactions to Aljamain Sterling's title defense against T.J. Dillashaw in the UFC 280 co-main event.

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UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling dominated an injured T.J. Dillashaw to retain his title with a second-round TKO.

Lina Lansberg via majority decision (29-27, 29-27, 28-28)](“https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-280-abu-dhabi-charles-oliveira-islam-makhachev-sterling-dillashaw-play-by-play-live-results”) AJ Dobson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)](“https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-280-abu-dhabi-charles-oliveira-islam-makhachev-sterling-dillashaw-play-by-play-live-results”) [Muhammad Mokaev def. Gadzhi Omargadzhiev via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 30-27)](“https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-280-abu-dhabi-charles-oliveira-islam-makhachev-sterling-dillashaw-play-by-play-live-results”) [Armen Petrosyan def. Makhmud Muradov via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)](“https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-280-abu-dhabi-charles-oliveira-islam-makhachev-sterling-dillashaw-play-by-play-live-results”) [Nikita Krylov def. Volkan Oezdemir via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28)](“https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-280-abu-dhabi-charles-oliveira-islam-makhachev-sterling-dillashaw-play-by-play-live-results”) [Abubakar Nurmagomedov def. Katlyn Chookagian via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)](“https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2022/10/ufc-280-results-katlyn-chookagian-vs-manon-fiorot-decision”) [Belal Muhammad def. Mateusz Gamrot via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2022/10/ufc-280-abu-dhabi-results-beneil-dariush-defends-mateusz-gamrot-grappling-decision-win) [Manon Fiorot def. Malcolm Gordon via submission (armbar) – Round 3, 4:26](“https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2022/10/ufc-280-video-muhammad-mokaev-tested-pulls-off-late-armbar-against-malcolm-gordon”) [Karol Rosa def. Petr Yan via split decision (28-29, 29-28, 29-28)](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2022/10/ufc-280-results-sean-omalley-vs-petr-yan-controversial-decision) [Beneil Dariush def. Sean Brady via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 4:47](“https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/2022/10/ufc-280-results-belal-muhammad-vs-sean-brady-tko-video”) [Caio Borralho def. Dillashaw](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/tag/t-j-dillashaw) (17-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) en route to a second-round TKO in the co-main event at Etihad Arena on Saturday. Sterling smoothly jumped on his back and landed big elbows and hard ground and pound, forcing Marc Goddard to jump in and stop the fight.

Former UFC champion T.J. Dillashaw sheds some light on his shoulder injury that was evident during his UFC 280 title fight.

It’s not like he came in out of shape or he looked like he was injured or whatever. “I gotta apologize to the weight class. “This was a tough one to come into. Unfortunately, in the second round, I couldn’t push off my shoulder. And as he told Daniel Cormier in the Octagon interview, it was an injury he’d been dealing with for nearly half a year now. And while his corner was able to pop it back in, it eventually got re-injured in the second round, leaving him fighting with one arm.

Check out the best photos from Aljamain Sterling's TKO win over T.J. Dillashaw at UFC 280 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Dillashaw (17-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) via TKO Aljamain Sterling (22-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC) def. Dillashaw](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/tag/t-j-dillashaw) at [UFC 280](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/lists/ufc-280-abu-dhabi-charles-oliveira-islam-makhachev-sterling-dillashaw-play-by-play-live-results) at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi.

Watch T.J. Dillashaw vs. Aljamain Sterling full fight video highlights from the co-main event of UFC 280.

Sterling hammering him now, and this should be over. Sterling gets a takedown and he’s moving back to mount now. Now Sterling grabs a headlock and goes for a D’Arce! For all intents and purposes, this fight is over. Sterling immediately kicked the arm. Sterling shoots again but with short time, Dillashaw will make the final bell. That Dillashaw is still in there with this is a testament to his will power. Dillashaw still rolling but Sterling is staying with him and he’s clearly hurt. Sterling is a monster from this position and Dillashaw rolls to give up his back. and in the mean time, Sterling has moved to mount and he’s starting to unload. Sterling catches a kick and and after some scrambling, Sterling ends up on top. Dillashaw (17-5) in the night’s co-main event.

ABU DHABI – Aljamain Sterling doesn't think T.J. Dillashaw's injury was the reason he dominated him. Bantamweight champion Sterling (22-3 MMA, 14-3 UFC) ...

“And I said it before, for a guy who needs to do PEDs, they have a chink in the armor for this guy to lose and the first thing he went for was that. I like to think I had something to do with that.” Dillashaw](https://mmajunkie.usatoday.com/tag/t-j-dillashaw)’s injury was the reason he dominated him. So, he can say whatever he wants, but I don’t think socket or not, that that fight wasn’t gonna get any better for him.” They were in the socket before the round ended as far as I’m concerned. But Sterling, who has used his grappling to dominate many top contenders, says controlling Dillashaw on the ground was inevitable – regardless of the injury.

T.J. Dillashaw apologized to the bantamweight division and UFC President Dana White reacted to his injury coming into UFC 280.

He was then booked against Sterling, who made his second title defense after defending the belt in a title rematch against [Petr Yan](https://www.mmafighting.com/fighter/4437/petr-yan). It’s a tough one to come into, and I apologize to the weight class, because it’s a stacked weight class and I took up a position. Dillashaw in 2019 underwent surgery to repair both of his shoulders as he sat out on a two-year suspension for EPO. I thought I’d be able to get it back into the socket, but I wasn’t able to, so I knew I had to weather the storm the first round, come out and land some big shots. Dillashaw appeared to put his shoulder back in socket before answering the bell for the second round. I told the ref in the back before we came out that most likely my shoulder was going to pop out – if it does, I’ll get it back in – please do not stop it.

The former bantamweight champion entered the UFC 280 co-main event with an existing injury to his shoulder, and it flared up very quickly in their title bout on ...

I took up a position, but I wasn’t gonna wait another year to get a shot.” I thought I’d be able to get it back in the socket but I wasn’t able to. I knew I wouldn’t be able to scramble to my feet because I couldn’t push off my arm. “I just tried to control the hands the best I could. I told the ref in the back before we came out that most likely my shoulder is going to pop out. I’ve got to apologize to the weight class, I kind of held it up.