T.J. Dillashaw (image via UFC/YouTube)

By FCF Staff

T.J. Dillashaw didn’t emerge from UFC Vegas 32 unscathed, but it sounds like the former bantamweight champ wasn’t 100% heading into the event.

Dillashaw faced fellow contender Cory Sandhagen on Saturday, and emerged from the thrilling fight with a razor-thin, some say controversial, split decision win.

Early on in the contest, it looked as though Dillashaw incurred a knee injury, and he was also cut badly by his right eye. After the memorable bout, Dillashaw reported that the knee injury did impact his performance significantly (quotes via MMA Junkie).

“Unfortunately, after that first round, I couldn’t lift,” Dillashaw said. “I took his back quite a few times and I’m really good from that clinch position on the back, but I couldn’t throw my legs back and I couldn’t lift. (I was) hanging out using those knees as best I could while he was hand fighting. It was a little unfortunate. I tried doing a couple of scissor-trips. I tried lifting in that second round when I had his back, but my knee just wasn’t having it.”

In addition, Dillashaw also relayed that he incurred multiple injuries during his preparation for the Sandhagen fight.

“I had a really, really, really rough camp,” Dillashaw said. “I couldn’t even spar this whole camp. The first camp going, we were supposed to go May 8. It went smooth other than getting cut. I was able to spar. My cut was going good. The second camp around, I could not stay healthy. The first injury was that I pinched this nerve in my foot doing a slider board. Up until two days ago, I had to work out with shoes on. This is like the worst thing I could’ve been dealing with.

“I tore my MCL in my right knee. I hurt my left shoulder, as well, the whole camp. It was a real rough camp. I didn’t want to obviously talk about it. I didn’t want to make (any) excuses. I just needed to get out there. It had been two f-ing long. There was no way I was going to pull out from the fight.”

The 35-year-old Dillashaw (17-4) was fighting for the first time since January, 2019. Following his quick stoppage loss to Henry Cejudo that year, Dillashaw tested positive for banned substances and was suspended for two years.