UFC Fighting: TJ Dillashaw Returns Far Away From Decision In Cory Sandhagen



TJ Dillashaw’s rescue arc advanced on a grand note Saturday night after the bantamweight season champion returned from a two-year absence from winning a tough fight with Cory Sandhagen in a leading UFC Fight Night event. After five rounds of speed change, Dillashaw was given the victory by deciding to split the score for his first success since August 2018.


Dillashaw came out of the gate quickly, using a quick strike and dressed in Sandhagen in an earthquake to reduce the attack on his opponent. The fight almost went awry for Dillashaw immediately as he appeared to be suffering from knee pain after Sandhagen attacked in an attempt to close his leg. After the end of the first round, Dillashaw told his corner that he felt like his knee was popping out. But the veteran continued to fight injuries that seemed to have no effect on his performance.


"My knee, I pulled it out in the first round," Dillashaw said after the fight. "I was lazy and I knew he had a place to lock my leg and I cooled off. I was lazy and let him expose it at the end. I couldn't throw my chickens when I took him down. One time I tried to get my chickens in and he came in again."

Sandhagen would come back with a storm in the second round, using his access to contact with the right punches, including a hard hand that separated Dillashaw above the right eye. The amputation seemed to bother Dillashaw and the continuation of the fight as blood constantly circled his eye. But, just on one knee, the former champion fought back and continued to put pressure on Sandhagen.

The fight would be based on a long-running exchange pattern won by Sandhagen with clinical work and co-operation that allowed Dillashaw to slow down the fight down and put it on a list suitable for his short-term reach.

Nearby rounds are piled up as both men can only have their moments to see the speed bounce back the other side. In the end, the judges favored Dillashaw's continued pressure, with two official articles reading Dillashaw's 48-47 and one judge seeing similar points in favor of Sandhagen.


"I love Cory Sandhagen," Dillashaw said after the fight. "I believed in that guy before he believed in me too. A big opponent, a big fight. A little trust on my side but I pushed the pace and won."


Dillashaw, who missed the two years of the unsuccessful drug test movement that forced him to award the bantamweight title, is now advancing his bid to win the belt for the third time. The fight was serving as an illegal UFC 267 victory over the title fight between champion Aljamain Sterling and former champion Petr Yan.


While Dillashaw said he wanted to stay active and would fight again if the winner of the October 30 fight was not ready for the end of the year, the topic was clear in his mind.


My dad gets a belt, he said. "It's easy. It's easy money on that belt now."


The card also saw a wild action just below the main event. Raulian Paiva and Kyler Phillips pulled out 15 minutes in a fight that saw Paiva make a successful decision. Also, veteran Darren Elkins turned the tables on Darrick Minner in the second round to win the TKO victory after being knocked out of the opening frame. And the red hopes of burning bantamweight Adrian Yanez came back from a bloody nose to finish Randy Costa in the second round of the first card fight.


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