TJ Dillashaw retires from MMA following shoulder surgery
Former UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw has notified the UFC of his retirement from professional mixed martial arts competition.
MMA Content Creator Michael Wonsover was the first to report the news.
“BREAKING: TJ Dillashaw has notified the UFC of his retirement. Dillashaw went 1-1 after serving a 2-year suspension from 2019-2021,” Wonsover’s tweet read.
BREAKING: TJ Dillashaw has notified the UFC of his retirement. Dillashaw went 1-1 after serving a 2-year suspension from 2019-2021.
— Michael Wonsover (@The_MDubb) December 5, 2022
The decision to retire comes after Dillashaw was forced to undergo another extensive surgery to repair damage done to his shoulder following his most recent loss, which came against Aljamain Sterling at UFC 281.
Dillashaw served a two-year suspension under the UFC’s anti-doping program for using recombinant human erythropoietin (EPO). During that layoff the former two-time champion underwent surgeries on both arms.
The 36-year-old Dillashaw retires with a pro record of 17-5. He first claimed the UFC bantamweight title by defeating Renan Barão at UFC 173 in 2014. He would go on to defend the title against Joe Soto and then in a rematch against Barão.
Dillashaw dropped the title to Dominick Cruz by way of split decision in January 2016 and then regained the belt by defeated former training partner Cody Garbrandt at UFC 217 in November 2017.
Following a second win over Garbrandt, Dillashaw then attempted to become a two-division champion after dropping down to flyweight to challenge for the 125-pound title. Unfortunately, he came up short, falling to Henry Cejudo in just 32 seconds in January 2019.
Afterward, Dillashaw relinquished his bantamweight title after revealing he had tested positive for EPO, which led to his two-year suspension. He eventually returned with a win over Cory Sandhagen before falling to Sterling.
