Newly crowned UFC bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw (15-3) has just responded to former champion Cody Garbrandt’s (11-1) rematch request, and it wasn’t positive.
Dillashaw and Garbrandt threw down at UFC 217 last weekend in the co-main event of the evening which took place at the iconic Madison Square Garden in New York. The 31-year-old Dillashaw knocked out Garbrandt midway through the second round, dealing Garbrandt the first loss of his career.
Immediately after the bout, Garbrandt naturally took the opportunity to demand a rematch. The 26-year-old “No Love” feels he deserves another go, and that the fans want to see it. Dillashaw however, apparently feels differently.
TJ Dillashaw Says NO To a Rematch With Cody Garbrandt
Speaking candidly at the UFC 217 post press conference, Dillashaw addressed the media.
“I just finished him in the second round. He doesn’t deserve a rematch,” Dillashaw said Saturday. “He’s very new in this sport, he needs to work his way back up. I should’ve gotten a rematch after that (Dominick) Cruz fight (in Jan. 2016), a very close split decision that I thought I won, and I did not get it. It took me a year-and-a-half — well actually, almost two years — to get it. So yeah, I think he’s going to definitely (need to) build himself back up.”
Although Dillashaw says he respects Garbrandt as a fighter, he said as a person, he’s not too fond of him.
“I respect him as a fighter as well,” Dillashaw said. “I do not appreciate, me or my family — as you can see, my brother got very emotional after the fight — have not appreciated the accusations and just the crap talk, and trying to diminish my name and who I am. So, that’s one that I won’t ever forgive him for. But I do respect him for being a great competitor and I’m sure we’ll see him again. But yeah, he’s lost a lot of my respect. He’s lost all of the respect from my family.”
For TJ Dillashaw, It Was All Business. Says He Handled the Fight Like a Pro
Despite some well-hyped beef between Dillashaw and Garbrandt leading up to the fight. Dillashaw maintains that he kept things strictly business, which was why he was able to come away with the win.
“This is professional for me. If I was going to get into it, like you’re saying, and be pumped about beating Cody, then I would’ve fought emotional,” Dillashaw said. “I would’ve been angry about fighting him. So I kept it at a professional level and knew that I was fighting to get back what I thought was rightfully mine. I mean, I don’t lose that split decision to Cruz or (Raphael) Assuncao, I’m on a 13-fight win streak. We’d be talking about me being the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world. And those are the things you’ve got to swallow, and just know that you’re chasing your dream.”
As to who he expects to fight next, Dillashaw made a nod a champion in a different weight class.
“We’ll see what happens with Dominick Cruz and (Jimmie) Rivera (at UFC 219),” Dillashaw said. “That’s a tough fight. I think Cruz has his hands full with that fight. But Demetrious can’t run from this one. This is too big. He broke his record. He got to pat himself (on the back) and break his record. Now let’s make some money. He’s talking about how he wants those seven-figure fights — well, this is it. Step up, be a man of your word, and let’s get this fight going. He’s a very cerebral fighter. He’s smart, him and his coach, because they know it’s a very tough fight against me.”
