TJ Dillashaw announced Wednesday that he was vacating his UFC bantamweight title following an abnormality in a drug test following his fight with Henry Cejudo.
TJ Dillashaw last fought in January in the first ever ESPN+ card against Henry Cejudo for the flyweight title. While ultimately coming up short, he remained the UFC bantamweight champion. However, Dillashaw announced Wednesday morning on his Instagram that he was flagged by USADA following the bout, and as a result, is vacating his UFC bantamweight championship.
“To all my fans, I wanted to be the first one to let you know that USADA and NYSAC have informed me of an adverse finding in a test taken for my last fight,” Dillashaw wrote. “While words can’t even begin to express how disappointed I am at this time, please know that I’m working with my team to understand what has occurred and how to resolve this situation as quickly as possible. Out of fairness and respect to the rest of my division, I’ve informed the UFC that I’ll be voluntarily relinquishing my title while I deal with this matter. I want to thank all of you in advance for the support.”
This comes as a big surprise to many, as Dillashaw had never failed any drug test or had any drug-related issues previously. Dillashaw stated that USADA and NYSAC informed him of an adverse finding following his last fight. He went on to state that he and his team are working to find out what happened, but out of respect for his division, he is voluntarily giving up his bantamweight title.
The UFC was supposedly looking to set up a Henry Cejudo and TJ Dillashaw rematch, likely at bantamweight later this summer. However, with this development, it’s up in the air as to what happens with the 135-pound division. Marlon Moraes is currently on a four-fight winning streak and is one of the division’s brightest stars.
It’s unknown if Cejudo will still get a shot at the 135-pound title now, as the UFC might look for him to defend his flyweight title instead. However, we will need to wait and see as to what happens with the bantamweight division now that Dillashaw has relinquished his title.
Update, 11:30 AM EST: Per ESPN’s Ariel Helwani, the NYSAC has issued Dillashaw a one year suspension and $10,000 fine.
