TJ Dillashaw is embarrassed that Aljamain Sterling is the champ of the bantamweight division.
Dillashaw is looking to reclaim his bantamweight title as he faces Sterling in the main event of UFC 280. It’s a big fight for both men, as Dillashaw is looking to become the champ again. In the lead-up to the fight, he has all the confidence in the world he will beat Sterling due to the fact he doesn’t think the champ is a good striker at all.
TJ Dillashaw Disses Aljamain Sterling’s Striking
“I absolutely have the advantage in striking,” Dillashaw said to MMAJunkie.
“I believe I have the advantage everywhere. He is really good once he gets on the back with control and things like that. I haven’t been impressed with his wrestling. He’s a (Division III) wrestler, and I’ve been wrestling D1. I think his takedown defense is under 50 percent. His striking is – it’s embarrassing that he’s the champion (with) his striking that is that bad. It’s God awful. He uses his awkwardness to his advantage, but when you start throwing with him he just cowers. I don’t know. There’s a lot there. I can out-grapple you, I can out-strike you. I’m going to put on a clinic.”
With Dillashaw being confident that he has a massive striking advantage, he expects to keep it standing and piece up Sterling on the feet. If he does that, he believes he will eventually finish Sterling and become the champ again.
“I feel like I’m just going to break him,” Dillashaw said. “He’s going to be one of those ones that’s going to want to quit on me, and I’ll get to choose the way I finish him. I will finish him. He’s going to break underneath me. He’s going to realize anything he’s going to try to do isn’t going to work and that I’m better everywhere. So mentally he’s just going to be shut down.”