UFC Fight Night Spotlight: TJ Dillashaw

UFC Fight Night: Cejudo versus Dillashaw takes place on January 19, 2019 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.  This event will be the first event of the UFC’s new five year contract with ESPN and the first to be broadcast on their digital streaming channel ESPN+.

Main Event: Cejudo versus Dillashaw

The headlining event will feature a UFC Flyweight Championship bout between the 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist in Freestyle wrestling and current Flyweight Champion, Henry Cejudo and current two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion, T.J, Dillashaw.  

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Cejudo became champion after he defeated Demetrious Johnson in a rematch (two years after their first match) in the co-main event at UFC 227 on August 4, 2018.  Dillashaw first won the UFC Bantamweight Championship by defeating Renan Barao by TKO (head kick and punches) at UFC 173 on May 24, 2014. He then lost the belt to Dominic Cruz at UFC Fight Night on January 17, 2016, but was able to regain it again by defeating Cody Garbrandt by KO (punches) at UFC 217 on November 4, 2017 (Cody had won the belt by defeating Cruz at UFC 207 on December 30, 2016 by unanimous decision).

If Dillashaw wins the Flyweight Championship, he will be the fourth UFC fighter to be champion in two divisions simultaneously (after Conor McGregor at UFC 205, Daniel Cormier at UFC 226, and Amanda Nunes at UFC 232), as well as the seventh person overall to win a title in different divisions.  According to rumors, the UFC also has plans to eliminate the flyweight division sometime during 2019.

TJ Dillashaw Biography

Tyler Jeffrey (TJ) Dillashaw was born on February 7, 1986 in Sonora, California.  While attending Bret Harte High School in Angels Camp, California, he competed on the school’s wrestling team and played football during his junior year.  

Wrestling

In high school, TJ was a four-time sectional qualifier and two-time California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) state qualifier.  As a junior, he placed fifth at the CIF State Championships with a record of 45-7. As a senior, he bested that achievement by placing second at the CIF State Championships with a 52-6 record.  He finished his high school wrestling career with an overall record of 170-33.

Upon graduation, Dillashaw received a wrestling scholarship to attend Cal State Fullerton.  In his freshman year (2005 to 2006), he had an unremarkable 14-16 record. However, with each year, his record continued to improve- he had a 17-14 record his sophomore year, and he placed sixth in the University Greco Wrestling Championships, and fourth at the Pac-10 championships in 2017.   By the time he was a senior, he was ranked 10th in the nation at 133 lbs and was a three time NCAA qualifier.

Mixed Martial Arts  

When Dillashaw graduated college, he was invited to join the Reign Training Center by Mark Munoz, who also coached wrestling at Cal State Fullerton, while also competing in the UFC middleweight division, to train Mixed Martial Arts.  After training with Team Reign for 1.5 years, TJ moved up north and began training with Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, CA.

After having a 2-0 amateur record, TJ Dillashaw made his professional MMA debut on March 26, 2010, when he won a unanimous decision against Czar Sklavos.  TJ went on to win three more fights, before he decided to try out for the fourteenth season of The Ultimate Fighter.

UFC: The Ultimate Fighter

In 2011, TJ was selected to compete on The Ultimate Fighter: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller season.  In the first episode, he defeated Matt Jaggers by TKO to gain entry into the house. He was subsequently selected as part of Team Bisping, as the second bantamweight chosen.  He then defeated Roland Delorme via rear naked choke submission in the preliminary round, and defeated Dustin Pague by unanimous decision for a spot in the bantamweight final.

On December 3, 2011 at The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale held in Las Vegas, Nevada, TJ Dillashaw fought John Dodson in the bantamweight tournament finals.  Dillashaw would go on to lose the fight at 1:54 of the first round by TKO (punches). Following that loss, he would compile an impressive 7-1 record in the UFC, capping it off by defeating Renan Barao by TKO (head kick and punches) at UFC 173 in May 24, 2014 to win the UFC Bantamweight Championship.  He would then defend his belt two times, defeating Joe Soto and Renan Barao in a rematch, before losing to a split decision to Dominic Cruz. Following this loss, he would win four more fights in the UFC- defeating Raphael Assuncao by decision, John Lineker by decision, Cody Garbrandt by KO- punches to win the UFC Bantamweight Championship, and defeating Garbrandt again in a rematch by TKO caused by knee and punches.

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In terms of UFC bonuses, TJ has won the $50,000 bonus a number of times- with Fight of the Night (three times) vs. Raphael Assuncao, Renan Barao, and Dominic Cruz, and Performance of the Night (five times) vs. Renan Barao (two times), Joe Soto, and Cody Garbrant (two times).

Mixed Martial Arts Record

Res. Opponent Method Date

Win Cody Garbrandt TKO (knee and punches)              4-Aug-18

Win Cody Garbrandt KO (punches) 4-Nov-17

Win John Lineker Decision (unanimous) 30-Dec-16

Win Raphael Assunção Decision (unanimous) 9-Jul-16

Loss Dominick Cruz Decision (split) 17-Jan-16

Win Renan Barão TKO (punches) 25-Jul-15

Win Joe Soto KO (head kick and punches) 30-Aug-14

Win Renan Barão TKO (head kick and punches) 24-May-14

Win Mike Easton Decision (unanimous) 15-Jan-14

Loss Raphael Assunção Decision (split) 9-Oct-13

Win Hugo Viana TKO (punches) 20-Apr-13

Win Issei Tamura KO (head kick and punches) 16-Mar-13

Win Vaughan Lee Submission (neck crank) 11-Jul-12

Win Walel Watson Decision (unanimous) 15-Feb-12

Loss John Dodson TKO (punches) 3-Dec-11

Win Taylor McCorriston TKO (punches) 20-Nov-10

Win Mike Suarez Submission (rear-naked choke) 2-Oct-10

Win Brandon Drucker Submission (rear-naked choke) 22-May-10

Win Czar Sklavos Decision (unanimous) 26-Mar-10

Henry Cejudo is a world champion. Now, he is here to share is world class technique with you! Check out his DVD "High Level Takedowns and Mat Control For Grapplers", and get the secrets of a world champion! BJJ Fanatics has it! Check it out here!

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