Cody Garbrandt says he has no “hatred or animosity” towards former UFC rival TJ Dillashaw: “But there’s always going to be an asterisk”
Former UFC champion Cody Garbrandt says he has no hatred or animosity when it comes to his former rival TJ Dillashaw.
This weekend, Cody Garbrandt will make his return to the Octagon at UFC 296 when he locks horns with Brian Kelleher. It will serve as a highly anticipated return to action for ‘No Love’. He will attempt to begin his quest back to the UFC bantamweight championship.
Garbrandt, as a former champion at 135 pounds, could certainly make another run – but it’s going to be tough. He’s experienced a lot of setbacks over the course of the last few years, dating back to when he actually lost the belt.
He was beaten by former teammate TJ Dillashaw and then, in the rematch, Dillashaw got the upperhand once again. Since then, Cody hasn’t been the same.
In a recent interview, Garbrandt gave his thoughts on his former foe.
Garbrandt’s view on Dillashaw
“It is what it is,” Garbrandt told ESPN. “T.J.’s no longer in the UFC, you see his career and towards the end of it and that’s the reason why he was. The substance he was taking, his body wasn’t able to uphold. Good for him, hats off to him for what he was able to do, but there’s always gonna be an asterisk, and there should be an asterisk throughout his name and whatever he’s done in his career.
“I know wholeheartedly that I can go through my whole UFC career and not ever have to take any performance-enhancing drug. I just believe in my abilities, my skills, my mental fortitude, and he has to live with that,” he continued. “He has to live with that decision that he’s made. I don’t have any hatred, animosity for him. It is what it is at the end of the day. I’m here, he’s not. I don’t think he’s ever gonna be the T.J. Dillashaw from the past. For obvious reasons.”
Quotes via MMA Mania
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