TJ Dillashaw Breaks Silence on UFC Retirement

Getty T.J. Dillashaw speaks during a presser.

Former two-time UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw opened up about stepping away from professional competition.

Dillashaw was last seen in action against reigning 135-pound champion Aljamain Sterling at UFC 280 in October. He popped out his shoulder early in the outing and got dominated by Sterling before getting finished in the second round. Following the result, Dillashaw revealed that he went into the bout with an injury and had dislocated his shoulder about 20 times before the title fight.

His agent Tiki Ghosn informed ESPN of his decision to hang up the gloves weeks later despite Dillashaw insisting he would be back prior.

In an appearance on the “Food Truck Diaries” with Brendan Schaub, Dillashaw detailed the events that led to his retirement.

“I did not have a set thing to retire even after the fight, I was like, ‘I’m not retiring.’ But when I had shoulder surgery four weeks ago,” said Dillashaw. “The doctor had a raw conversation with me. He was like, ‘hey man, this is your third shoulder surgery in the last three years.’ It just got me thinking about life, my son, and being able to actually be active with him, swing a golf club with him, and just live life outside of fighting. It was tough and still is a tough decision.”

Dillashaw Wanted To Announce the Retirement

The 36-year-old California native was planning to be back inside the cage and did not consider retiring during the preparations for his bout with Sterling.

“No, not at all. It wasn’t a thought in my head. I expected to go out there and win even with the injury that I had. I had the utmost belief in myself to get the job done.”

He expressed a desire to have been able to announce his retirement.

“I haven’t even announced it to any media outlet,” he added. “This is the first time I’m talking about it. I wasn’t expecting it to be released the way it was. I told him two or three days before and just got taken off the roster and everyone found out.

“I didn’t know what to expect. I kinda wanted to do it myself but I didn’t get the chance.”

Dillashaw Says His Son Didn’t Want Him To Fight

Considering the injuries he was dealing with, the pressure of his son asking him to stop fighting finally convinced Dillashaw to walk away from the octagon.

“I didn’t retire until the 30th of November. I had surgery on the 10th and going into the fight the plan wasn’t to retire at all. I talked to the doctor and just asked him what was going on with my shoulder and what the likelihood of it healing to the fullest. Then, it just kind of snowballed from there. I have a 5-year-old son, the only fights he can really remember are my last two fights.”

“He misses me when I’m gone at my fight,” Dillashaw added. “I get back, I’m on one leg, I’m laid up, can’t be playing with him the way I’d like to. Then my Aljo fight, I’m out in Abu Dhabi for two weeks, come back, get shoulder, he’s told me probably a good 10 times, ‘dad, I don’t want you to fight again.’

“Then the doctor’s appointment, telling me about my shoulder, I don’t know, it’s still tough.”