Report: T.J. Dillashaw cancels plans to fight Demetrious Johnson, prepares for Cody Garbrandt
Get the Full StoryAccording to a report, Dillashaw is no longer preparing to fight Demetrious Johnson for the UFC flyweight title. Although flyweight king Demetrious Johnson released a public statement slamming the UFC for trying to force him to fight T.J. Dillashaw, many fans still expected the bout to come together.According to a report from ESPN's Brett Okamoto, however, former bantamweight champion Dillashaw will not be fighting 'Mighty Mouse' for the flyweight belt.
Instead, Dillashaw will be focusing on a championship bout against his original opponent, former teammate and current 135-pound champ, Cody Garbrandt.
Per multiple sources, TJ Dillashaw is no longer on a plan to make 125 pounds by August. Sounds like his focus is back on Cody Garbrandt. Brett Okamoto bokamotoESPN June 23, 2017
This could spell disaster for the flyweight division, as UFC president Dana White has been thinking of getting rid of the weight class for some time. According to Johnson, the head promoter threatened to ax the division if he didn't accept the fight with Dillashaw.
After telling Dana my reasons, Dana angrily told me that I am fighting TJ, once again, with no other option or say in my career, and against the plans we had previously laid out. He went on further to say that if I didn't take the fight against TJ, and drop Borg as the opponent, he would get rid of the entire flyweight division," Johnson said in his statement earlier this month.
Dillashaw was expected to challenge Garbrandt for the bantamweight title at UFC 213, but 'No Love' was forced to pull out of the bout due to a back injury. That's when Dillashaw, 31, opted to fight Johnson for the 125-pound title in his flyweight debut.
With that fight now reportedly canceled, expect Garbrandt vs. Dillashaw to take place later this year, possibly in the fall.
As for Johnson, the pound-for-pound No. 1 could find himself without a title if White follows through with his alleged threat to dispose of the entire flyweight division.
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