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A clean break can sometimes bring closure to a relationship, but it doesn't seem to be the case with Urijah Faber and his former protege T.J. Dillashaw.
Caught between the feuding of Faber and his striking guru Duane Ludwig, the UFC bantamweight champ left Sacramento's Team Alpha Male for Colorado's Elevation Fight Team in October.
According to Faber, the split hasn't done much to alleviate tensions.
"No, it's not relief," Faber told Submission Radio. "It's not the best feeling, to be honest. [Dillashaw] and I aren't the best of friends like we were before. I feel like he's turned himself into a victim in this whole situation. I feel like, in his mind, I'm 'the bad guy' because he left our team. I told him, 'If you're not on the team you can't be coming in here and training with us.' He feels that I kicked him out of the gym. He said it in an interview or something like that, which is comical.
"The whole thing with T.J., it's not something I'm happy about, but it's the truth."
Faber admits Ludwig played a role in Dillashaw leaving, but almost sounded like he didn't want to give him that much credit.
"What you don't want to do is have a guy that's actively trying to ruin your team being closely allied with someone who is on your team," said Faber. "When [Dillashaw] cut ties, of course, you play that factor into it."
Sitting at No. 4 in the division, Faber says he doesn't have any issue facing a 'shaken up' former friend.
"Of course," said Faber. "I mean, what am I going to tell Zuffa? 'This guy used to fight for my team so I'm not going to fight for the world championship?' No. That's not going to happen."
Faber faces Frankie Saenz Dec. 12 at UFC 194.
5 MUST-READ STORIES
'The Night We Fought Aldo.' Jose Aldo's former opponents discuss ... fighting Jose Aldo.
'I've been bent over quite a few times by them.' Former UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones says the UFC wouldn't have stripped his title if he had been ready to fight Anthony Johnson at UFC 187.
'I probably don't have too much longer.' Carlos Condit talks about Holly Holm's win over Ronda Rousey, why he defended Rousey, his welterweight title fight against Robbie Lawler, his future and more.
Changes. Former Glendale Fighting Club fighter Georgi Karakhanyan says Ronda Rousey "should listen to her mother a little more."
'The many skews and angles.' Chuck Mindenhall weighs whether or not the UFC should book an immediate rematch between Holly Holm and Ronda Rousey.
MEDIA STEW
Octagon interviews with Ben Henderson and Jorge Masvidal.
The best images from UFC 193.
Backstage interview with Dong Hyun Kim.
Free Fight: Conor McGregor vs Dustin Poirier.
Catch Cris Cyborg at the next Joe Rogan show.
Sage Northcutt and his bro shocking each other with tasers.
Long watches.
KNUCKLE UP #338: The Yawn + Sorrow of UFC FN 79 Plus Shot Calling Aldo + McG
...
DADA 5000: Kimbo Slice forgot where he came from; responds to Kimbo Slice
...
Joe Rogan Experience - Fight Companion - November 28, 2015
TWEETS
Check out Pros React to UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. Masvidal and "This Week in Struggle"
Victory lap.
Huge thx to @GamebredFighter for taking the fight, was an honor to square up, gr8 event here in #UFCSeoul... @UFC I'm your #Huckleberry!!!
— TheOnceAndFutureKing (@BensonHenderson) November 28, 2015
#팀매드함서희#팀매드최두호#팀매드김동현 3Wins,2Bonuses #teammad teammad_busan ham.zzang @koreansuperboy7 @ Olympic... https://t.co/QV7mTa1CqK
— Dong Hyun Kim (@fighterdhk) November 29, 2015
with minotauro ^.^ #ufc #ufcseoul pic.twitter.com/Vtt4Igl1iE
— Doo Ho Choi (@KoreanSuperBoy7) November 29, 2015
LOVE THIS JOB!!!!! even with all the ups and downs. #respect #ufcseoul #Korea #mmalabelite... https://t.co/YAaZ2Hzt0g
— Michael De La Torre (@SSDMIKED) November 30, 2015
Madre gracias por todo,espero te haya gustado Buen día mexico,haciendo mucho con muy poco,gracias... https://t.co/5OPLldDgNE
— Marco Beltran UFC (@BeltranPsycho) November 28, 2015
Better luck next time.
Ran into Ellis Coleman at the Dallas airport @daflyinsquirrel he's cool peoples go hit that follow... https://t.co/EW8jkkG7Z2
— Dom Shonuff Waters (@Shonuff89) November 30, 2015
The game worked hard, but it was defeated. and support to all of the people helped us and we are grateful. Thank you very much. Slowly the body, mind, rest.
— 秋山 成勲 추 성훈 (@akiyamayoshihir) November 29, 2015
Soon.
Saturday target practice w/ @akajav #ufc194
Posted by Luke Rockhold on Saturday, November 28, 2015
Flow!
Posted by Conor McGregor on Sunday, November 29, 2015
Weigh ins in less than two weeks got me like....... (made by @ frankieedgar with musical.ly) ♬ https://t.co/Mo8DbTH5nv
— Frankie Edgar (@FrankieEdgar) November 30, 2015
13 days - Will earn the win no matter what it takes. #UFC194 pic.twitter.com/Hbjb8CHfd4
— Jeremy Stephens (@LiLHeathenMMA) November 30, 2015
When u feeling good bc #FightNight is right around the block, that u gotta Milly Rock on ya opponent right quick pic.twitter.com/qLrXjn7Rta
— Aljamain Sterling (@FunkMaster_UFC) November 29, 2015
20 days away from my return to the Octagon! Sunday ll be my day of rest after a long week of training! Now that you know my plans your turn?
— Junior Dos Santos (@junior_cigano) November 29, 2015
Ronda back out there.
Ronda Rousey -- Out of Hiding ... With a Fresh Face https://t.co/JtOdR4WC1X
— TMZ Sports (@TMZ_Sports) November 28, 2015
Free agent.
@JoshKoscheck appreciate ya doggie...
— TheOnceAndFutureKing (@BensonHenderson) November 30, 2015
Whoa.
Current pic on the right and the difference in lean body fat. Physically and mentally feel better than ever too! I am...
Posted by Myles "Fury" Jury on Sunday, November 29, 2015
Buds.
Obrigado pelo presente irmão @neymarjr eu que sou grande fã,melhor do mundo #tois #neymarjr... https://t.co/AjWcWw7eWn
— Jose Aldo Junior (@josealdojunior) November 27, 2015
Beef.
Well all know @bethecorreia isn't the brightest bulb on the tree. #MerryChristmas https://t.co/qso4zUfYWa
— Miesha Tate (@MieshaTate) November 29, 2015
Does he want to fight me? Myslice ze ten z tylu chce ze mna walczyć?⚔ #transformers #universalstudioshollywood pic.twitter.com/2xRXr0JVgi
— Joanna Jedrzejczyk (@joannamma) November 30, 2015
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
Announced this weekend (Nov. 27-29 2015)
Michelle Waterson out, Jocelyn Lybarger vs. Tecia Torres at UFC 194
Bob Sapp vs. Akebono Taro at Rizin Fighting World Grand Prix 2015
FANPOST OF THE DAY
Today's Fanpost of the Day comes via Graham Douglas.
Why 5-round non title fights suck.
Fact: Most headlining fights are non title fights.
Fact: The frequency of injuries during training is high, often resulting in late replacements.
The fairness of a fight with one fighter who has a full training camp for a 5-round fight vs. a late replacement who has been training for a 3-round fight is highly questionable. In fact I call it downright unfair.
Case in point? Masvidal vs. Henderson. Masvidal pretty much stated the obvious in the post fight interview; training for 3-rounds doesn't cut it for a 5-round fight. Sure there is always a chance of an early stoppage, but not so much with the elite fighters. If you're the guy who's been training for the longer fight, then of course dragging it out early so you get later into the fight is a pretty obviously strategy.
...
Check out the rest of the post here.
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