Former champion T.J. Dillashaw and reigning UFC bantamweight title holder Cody Garbrandt have formed some bad blood over the years. Dillashaw was once a member of the acclaimed training camp Team Alpha Male, alongside Garbrandt. However, Garbrandt would go on to leave the training camp after earning the championship belt.
Team Alpha Male founder Urijah Faber and team member Cody Garbrandt have since accused Dillashaw of being responsible for the end of the career of Chris Holdsworth.
Holdsworth exited the mixed martial arts world after suffering a series of concussions. Faber and Garbrandt claim that Dillashaw gave the Team Alpha Male member a concussion with a cheap shot during training.
The two men stated that Dillashaw struck Holdsworth in the back of the head with a knee in between rounds after being submitted by the fighter. Now Dillashaw has come forward with his thoughts on the situation.
Speaking on The MMA Hour, as transcribed by MMA Fighting, T.J. Dillashaw gave his side of the story.
“They said I got submitted by Chris Holdsworth, and then I kneed him in the back of the head while he was grounded and after the round, whatever it may be. So you’re telling me I’m kneeing people in the back of the head in between rounds and ruining their careers, but you want me to stay on your team? You’re not going to kick me off the team, you led the fight for me to stay on the team and you’re angry that I left. How does that make any sense whatsoever? If I’m a loose cannon like that, how would that make any sense whatsoever, how would you be angry at me? if that was the case, if I was doing those kind of things, I should be kicked off the team. Instantly. There’s no way that would be something that is acceptable.”
That being said, Dillashaw does admit that he tends to be aggressive in his sparring practice.
“Have I been overly aggressive in some sparring sessions? Yes, I have. There’s things, there’s punches and things I’ve thrown that’s been too aggressive and I’ve gotten to where I’ve had to tell myself, yeah, I shouldn’t have done that, kind of thing. But I’ve never blatantly ever deliberately kneed someone in the back of the head and tried to end their career. I’ve gotten too aggressive in sparring, which we all have.”
