Demetrious Johnson ‘Totally Thrown Off’ By T.J. Dillashaw’s EPO Usage
Demetrious Johnson didn’t expect to hear the news of T.J. Dillashaw’s two-year suspension.
Dillashaw had a disastrous start to 2019. He took on Henry Cejudo in the UFC’s debut on ESPN+ back in January. Dillashaw challenged for the UFC flyweight title in a bid to become a “champ-champ.” He was finished in just 32 seconds. Dillashaw then revealed that he was relinquishing his bantamweight gold due to a failed drug test under the New York State Athletic Commission. The worst of the news came when the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency suspended Dillashaw for two years due to EPO use.
Johnson, who now competes under the ONE Championship banner, appeared on Submission Radio to give his take on Dillashaw’s suspension. When asked if he dodged a bullet in avoiding a bout with Dillashaw while he was on EPO, “Mighty Mouse” didn’t feel that way (via MMANews.com):
“No, not at all,” Johnson answered in a Submission Radio interview. “Obviously, it is what it is. He got caught using a banned substance, which I was totally thrown off by it, and it’s a shame. But at the end of the day, it’s mixed martial arts.
“He’ll serve his time, two to three years of USADA. He’ll come back, compete, make money, and life will go on as usual.”
Dillashaw will be just a few weeks shy from his 35th birthday when he becomes eligible to compete again. He won’t be free to do so until Jan. 2021.
