T.J. Dillashaw struggles coming to terms with retirement: 'I'm too good to hang 'em up'

T.J. Dillashaw feels like he was forced into retirement.

Dillashaw hung up his gloves less than two months after a second-round TKO loss to champ Aljamain Sterling last October at UFC 280. Dillashaw, a former two-time champ at 135 pounds, entered the fight with an injured shoulder, which popped out in Round 1.

Dillashaw (17-5 MMA, 13-5 UFC) had surgery on his shoulder after the fight, and it appears he’ll go under the knife once again. The 37-year-old took to Instagram to express his frustration on how he has a lot of fight left in him, but injuries have made it hard.

“This is retirement.
.
But in all honesty I’m pretty pissed that I didn’t get the chance to choose to retire. I feel that I’m too good to hang ’em up. Haven’t told many people but I have to go under the knife again for surgery because my first surgery didn’t take. Being told that my shoulder will never be good enough to compete again is hard to hear. I have been delaying my surgery trying to find a better solution .”

After finishing Cody Garbrandt a second-straight time in title fights, Dillashaw dropped down a division to challenge then-UFC flyweight champion Henry Cejudo in January 2019. He lost by first-round TKO.

Dillashaw later tested positive for EPO, receiving a two-year USADA suspension. He opted to vacate his bantamweight title. Dillashaw then returned from his suspension in 2021 and defeated current top contender Cory Sandhagen by split decision, which marked his final octagon win.