UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw thinks UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo doesn’t ‘realize what he’s in for’ at UFC Brooklyn on Saturday.
The first superfight of the year is nearly upon us. UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw has moved down to the flyweight division to take on 125-pound champion Henry Cejudo for the first-ever UFC card to be hosted by ESPN.
Though many wonder if a natural 135-pounder can be successful against a former Olympic Gold medalist who is coming off a career-high win over the former king of the flyweights, Demetrious Johnson. Dillashaw is not one of the doubters (obviously).
“I’m gonna finish him,” Dillashaw told FanSided. “He’s not going to be able to handle my pressure. Me and Demetrious Johnson are different animals and that’s why Demetrious is running from the fight too. He’s not going to handle my pressure, he’s not going to be able to handle my striking. I’m going to outwrestle the guy. I don’t think he really realizes what he’s in for until it actually happens. He can talk himself up and feel strong, yeah [he’s] an Olympic gold medalist but guess what? [He’s] not gonna know what’s up until he’s locked in there and he’s gonna feel my pressure and want to give up.”
Dillashaw’s weight cut has been a huge talking point and a recent weight cut graph shared by ESPN’s Brett Okamoto had most of the MMA community scratching their heads wondering what exactly Dillashaw was doing to drop the extra pounds. Luckily for us, Dillashaw is just as confused about it all.
“I feel great, I feel amazing and I owe that all to Sam Calavitta the trainer I have been working with. I follow Sam’s guidance. I’ve learned a lot. I’ve learned more in his garage than I learned in school and I was a kinesiology major. It would go over everyone’s head to try to explain that graph. He’s probably explained it to me 10 different times and I don’t even know what he’s talking about. The guy is a mad scientist and I trust him because I see the numbers. It’s not about bro science, I know what I’m seeing.”
Dillashaw has been vocal about being the UFC’s fourth dual champion but hesitates to look too far ahead of his UFC Brooklyn bout.
“Absolutely, you’ve got to have long term goals,” he said. “I want to break records and leave this sport the greatest of all time so I’m gonna prove it. First step is Henry Cejudo. I can’t look past him. He’s my next stepping stone, I gotta make sure to step on him.”
He also refused to say what division he’d be fighting in next — bantamweight, flyweight… or somewhere else.
“Everyone always asks me that and I can’t tell you that,” he said. “First things first, beat Henry Cejudo.”
Cejudo told FanSided recently that after he defeats Dillashaw on Saturday he plans to change his name to GOAT killer, something Dillashaw finds comical.
“It’s funny because he didn’t even win his last fight,” Dillashaw said. “He thinks he’s all that.”
UFC Brooklyn takes place on Saturday, Jan. 19, 2019, live from the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York. Follow along with FanSided throughout the night for all your live results and highlights. We’ll in attendance for the first card of 2019, so watch for exclusive content during fight night.