After more than two years away, T.J.
Dillashaw is about to return to the division over which he once
reigned supreme.
In the main event of UFC on ESPN 27 on Saturday, Dillashaw will face the dangerous Cory Sandhagen in a fight that may well have a bantamweight title shot at stake. It will be the 35-year-old’s first UFC appearance since his two-year suspension for banned performance enhancer EPO. Between that and the fact that his last in-cage appearance had ended in a shocking first-round knockout at the hands of Henry Cejudo, public perception of the former champ took a colossal fall. Two and a half years later, he will try to start a redemption story, while working his way back to the belt he defended a UFC-record three times.
Here is the history of the UFC men’s bantamweight title and the times it was won, lost or defended. Interim title fights are omitted, other than the ones involving Renan Barao, since he was promoted to undisputed champ without a title unification bout.
In the main event of UFC on ESPN 27 on Saturday, Dillashaw will face the dangerous Cory Sandhagen in a fight that may well have a bantamweight title shot at stake. It will be the 35-year-old’s first UFC appearance since his two-year suspension for banned performance enhancer EPO. Between that and the fact that his last in-cage appearance had ended in a shocking first-round knockout at the hands of Henry Cejudo, public perception of the former champ took a colossal fall. Two and a half years later, he will try to start a redemption story, while working his way back to the belt he defended a UFC-record three times.
Here is the history of the UFC men’s bantamweight title and the times it was won, lost or defended. Interim title fights are omitted, other than the ones involving Renan Barao, since he was promoted to undisputed champ without a title unification bout.
Sherdog.com/Ben Duffy illustration
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