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New interview with TJ Dillashaw over the weekend on Submission Radio
Some Topics Covered:
Some Quotes:
How Georges St-Pierre looked when they recently trained together
“Oh he looks the same. Man, he looks like he’s in really good shape – as always. He looks on top of his game still. I mean, it doesn’t look like he’s been out of the gym much. Even though he’s retired, he looks like he’s been in the gym non-stop. I mean, I’m sure the guy works out as much as I do still.”
How TJ feels about getting Assuncao instead of a title shot rematch against Cruz
“Oh it’s the fight I wanted – you know, other than obviously the rematch [against Cruz]. I feel Rafael is on a good win streak. He hasn’t fought in a while and we had a controversial split decision three years ago and so I just want a fight that I’d like to prove that I was the better fighter when we fought and still am. And that’s the fight that will get me right back in the title shot. You know, I won’t have to wait around. I mean, I’m not wasting time. I’m ready to have what I think is rightfully still mine, and so I want to get there as fast as possible and I think Rafael is the way to do it.”
Thoughts on McGregor wanting a reduced media schedule from the UFC for his UFC 200 fight
“There’s no way I’m as busy as Conor McGregor. And it gets taxing after a while, you know, even on my schedule. So I can only imagine what they have him doing. You know, he’s a money maker. He’s gotta do a lot more than even I do, and it was a lot for me. So I can only imagine what he’s gotta do. And then, you know, cause I really don’t feel that’s who Conor McGregor is behind the scenes. I’ve gotten to hang out with him at the Ultimate Fighter. And, you know, off-camera he’s a little bit easier going. He doesn’t have to be so witty, he doesn’t have to worry about being the fucken man all the time and worrying about outwitting everyone. So I’m sure that probably takes a toll, having to be someone that you’re not naturally are.”
“Well, you gotta think about this too. The guy lost. So that’s a lot of weight on him as well. Not only all the stuff he’s having to do, but he lost. You know? He’s been thinking he’s invincible. He’s been talking this smack and backing it up and predicting his fights and being unstoppable. And then he’s getting proven that he’s not all that – all that he’s been talking about. And I’m sure that’s probably taxing as well. I’m sure he’s having to go back and re-evaluate his training and what he needs to do to stay on top. I mean, that’s gotta be pretty nerve racking I imagine for him. Especially a confident guy, to go into a fight you just lost and have to do a bunch of stuff that’s going to take away from your training. So yeah, I mean I’d say it’s a smart choice worrying about getting better rather than talking.”
If anyone confirmed to TJ that he’d be getting a title shot if he beats Assuncao
“I better be. I feel like I should have already got that title shot. So that’s the way I’m looking at it. You know, they have never confirmed it, cause that really doesn’t really mean anything anyways. They can decide to do whatever they want, when they want. I mean, that’s the greatest thing for the UFC, is that they’re their own promotion. But I sure hope so. I feel I’ve already done enough to get my title shot. So I’ll beat Rafael and I’ll be right back in there. I don’t see who they’d [the champion] match him up with.”
On how TJ sees himself beating Assuncao in a rematch
“I think everyone’s kind of seen how much I’ve grown as a fighter since that fight. I feel like I was a completely different fighter back then and I’ve grown leaps and bounds under Duane Ludwig and what he’s done with me, how he transformed me into being a complete martial artist. Back then I was a bit more of a wrestler, just looking for big shots. I understand combos and I understand angles and I’ve grown a lot. I mean, I’ve only been doing this sport now for six years and I feel I’ve learnt a lot. And I fought him three years ago, so that’s half of my career ago.”
On who TJ thinks he’ll face for the title, Cruz or Faber.
“I think Cruz will win that fight. You know, especially after seeing his last performances against me and seeing Faber’s last performances. You know, I just feel that Cruz is going to win a decision. He’s going to do what he always does. He’s going to point-fight, he’s gonna run around him and I don’t think Urijah’s athletic enough to hit him. You know I mean? Urijah caught some big shots on him the last time they met and dropped him a couple of times, but I think that’s more of Cruz being off-balance. So I think Cruz comes out with a decision.”
On Urijah making comments suggesting that Cruz and TJ were on PEDs
“Urijah’s actually handled this whole entire thing so childishly. It’s crazy how much I have to talk about the guy and how much he thinks he needs to talk about me. It’s been kind of mind blowing actually, because I would have never ever seen this side of Urijah since the time I’ve known him. It’s very childish. You know, at first with him talking all this crap, it’s like alright - so I see he doesn’t want to be my friend anymore. Whatever. I don’t need to be friends with Urijah. He’s always been for himself anyways. So now he wants to create an enemy. You know, for him to say things like that about me and Cruz that aren’t true whatsoever and to bash our names is pretty ridiculous. And I feel like Cruz made him look like a fool because of it. And I mean, he’s just …for the last couple of years, he hasn’t been able to make himself relevant with his fights. The only way he’s able to do it is by talking crap about me. And so I think that’s just what he’s doing, is trying to talk crap about me and Cruz because we’re obviously better than he is and we have what he’ll never have.”
Prediction on how he beats Assuncao at UFC 200
“Oh I’m knocking him out. I’m gonna take advantage of some holes in his game – and I can actually even submit the guy. I mean, I almost did it the first time we fought. You know what I mean? So it’s so cliché of me, but I’m gonna finish him. So if it’s gonna be a knockout or submission, that’s definitely how I believe I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna wear him out and I’m gonna catch him. I feel like I’m the more technical fighter. He’s got some big holes in his game on his feet. And then I guess I feel like I’m the better scrambling grappler as well. So we’ll have to show off maybe some of my wrestling in this next fight.”
Some Topics Covered:
- his recent trip to Canada to train with Georges St-Pierre at Tristar gym
- TJ's response to Cody Garbrandt saying he'd have words with TJ when he saw him next
- his upcoming fight against Rafael Assuncao at UFC 200
- why he took the fight and how he feels about not getting the title shot rematch against Dominick Cruz
- Assuncao's long layoff and why this fight will be different
- if he's been promised the next title shot
- having less media duties because he won't be in a main event
- the recent fiasco with Conor McGregor being pulled from UFC 200
- Urijah Faber's comments about him and Cruz looking different since USADA stepped in and that he'd smoke TJ
- his celebrity hunting trips and why he's been off social media, and lots more.
Some Quotes:
How Georges St-Pierre looked when they recently trained together
“Oh he looks the same. Man, he looks like he’s in really good shape – as always. He looks on top of his game still. I mean, it doesn’t look like he’s been out of the gym much. Even though he’s retired, he looks like he’s been in the gym non-stop. I mean, I’m sure the guy works out as much as I do still.”
How TJ feels about getting Assuncao instead of a title shot rematch against Cruz
“Oh it’s the fight I wanted – you know, other than obviously the rematch [against Cruz]. I feel Rafael is on a good win streak. He hasn’t fought in a while and we had a controversial split decision three years ago and so I just want a fight that I’d like to prove that I was the better fighter when we fought and still am. And that’s the fight that will get me right back in the title shot. You know, I won’t have to wait around. I mean, I’m not wasting time. I’m ready to have what I think is rightfully still mine, and so I want to get there as fast as possible and I think Rafael is the way to do it.”
Thoughts on McGregor wanting a reduced media schedule from the UFC for his UFC 200 fight
“There’s no way I’m as busy as Conor McGregor. And it gets taxing after a while, you know, even on my schedule. So I can only imagine what they have him doing. You know, he’s a money maker. He’s gotta do a lot more than even I do, and it was a lot for me. So I can only imagine what he’s gotta do. And then, you know, cause I really don’t feel that’s who Conor McGregor is behind the scenes. I’ve gotten to hang out with him at the Ultimate Fighter. And, you know, off-camera he’s a little bit easier going. He doesn’t have to be so witty, he doesn’t have to worry about being the fucken man all the time and worrying about outwitting everyone. So I’m sure that probably takes a toll, having to be someone that you’re not naturally are.”
“Well, you gotta think about this too. The guy lost. So that’s a lot of weight on him as well. Not only all the stuff he’s having to do, but he lost. You know? He’s been thinking he’s invincible. He’s been talking this smack and backing it up and predicting his fights and being unstoppable. And then he’s getting proven that he’s not all that – all that he’s been talking about. And I’m sure that’s probably taxing as well. I’m sure he’s having to go back and re-evaluate his training and what he needs to do to stay on top. I mean, that’s gotta be pretty nerve racking I imagine for him. Especially a confident guy, to go into a fight you just lost and have to do a bunch of stuff that’s going to take away from your training. So yeah, I mean I’d say it’s a smart choice worrying about getting better rather than talking.”
If anyone confirmed to TJ that he’d be getting a title shot if he beats Assuncao
“I better be. I feel like I should have already got that title shot. So that’s the way I’m looking at it. You know, they have never confirmed it, cause that really doesn’t really mean anything anyways. They can decide to do whatever they want, when they want. I mean, that’s the greatest thing for the UFC, is that they’re their own promotion. But I sure hope so. I feel I’ve already done enough to get my title shot. So I’ll beat Rafael and I’ll be right back in there. I don’t see who they’d [the champion] match him up with.”
On how TJ sees himself beating Assuncao in a rematch
“I think everyone’s kind of seen how much I’ve grown as a fighter since that fight. I feel like I was a completely different fighter back then and I’ve grown leaps and bounds under Duane Ludwig and what he’s done with me, how he transformed me into being a complete martial artist. Back then I was a bit more of a wrestler, just looking for big shots. I understand combos and I understand angles and I’ve grown a lot. I mean, I’ve only been doing this sport now for six years and I feel I’ve learnt a lot. And I fought him three years ago, so that’s half of my career ago.”
On who TJ thinks he’ll face for the title, Cruz or Faber.
“I think Cruz will win that fight. You know, especially after seeing his last performances against me and seeing Faber’s last performances. You know, I just feel that Cruz is going to win a decision. He’s going to do what he always does. He’s going to point-fight, he’s gonna run around him and I don’t think Urijah’s athletic enough to hit him. You know I mean? Urijah caught some big shots on him the last time they met and dropped him a couple of times, but I think that’s more of Cruz being off-balance. So I think Cruz comes out with a decision.”
On Urijah making comments suggesting that Cruz and TJ were on PEDs
“Urijah’s actually handled this whole entire thing so childishly. It’s crazy how much I have to talk about the guy and how much he thinks he needs to talk about me. It’s been kind of mind blowing actually, because I would have never ever seen this side of Urijah since the time I’ve known him. It’s very childish. You know, at first with him talking all this crap, it’s like alright - so I see he doesn’t want to be my friend anymore. Whatever. I don’t need to be friends with Urijah. He’s always been for himself anyways. So now he wants to create an enemy. You know, for him to say things like that about me and Cruz that aren’t true whatsoever and to bash our names is pretty ridiculous. And I feel like Cruz made him look like a fool because of it. And I mean, he’s just …for the last couple of years, he hasn’t been able to make himself relevant with his fights. The only way he’s able to do it is by talking crap about me. And so I think that’s just what he’s doing, is trying to talk crap about me and Cruz because we’re obviously better than he is and we have what he’ll never have.”
Prediction on how he beats Assuncao at UFC 200
“Oh I’m knocking him out. I’m gonna take advantage of some holes in his game – and I can actually even submit the guy. I mean, I almost did it the first time we fought. You know what I mean? So it’s so cliché of me, but I’m gonna finish him. So if it’s gonna be a knockout or submission, that’s definitely how I believe I’m gonna do it. I’m gonna wear him out and I’m gonna catch him. I feel like I’m the more technical fighter. He’s got some big holes in his game on his feet. And then I guess I feel like I’m the better scrambling grappler as well. So we’ll have to show off maybe some of my wrestling in this next fight.”
