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T.J. Dillashaw is tired of the "high school girl drama" with Urijah Faber.
Since Dillashaw left Faber's Team Alpha Male to go train with Duane Ludwig, Faber has made increasingly hostile comments towards his former training partner. Recently, Faber has been doing media for his title bout with Dominick Cruz and during multiple interviews he insinuated that Dillashaw had been using PEDs prior to losing the UFC bantamweight title to Cruz. Yesterday, Dillashaw was interviewed by Steve Cofield and RJ Clifford on SiriusXM Fight Club where he spoke about Faber's accusations.
"It's real disappointing man. I've been disappointed in Urijah this entire time. I thought he was more of a friend than he actually was and I thought he would understand that I wanted to follow a coach that I feel has got me to where I'm at and has made me grow leaps and bounds. But he's taken this thing very personal and at first it was like ‘Oh Urijah doesn't want to be my friend no more,' you know what I mean? He wants to talk this much sh*t about me, give me this much sh*t, make me look bad in the media. Whatever, we'll be friends. I'll be cordial with the guy. But now he wants [to be] enemies. He can't even keep my name out of his mouth and it's real disappointing because he's trying to discredit my name and it's bullsh*t.
"He's just saying things to be relevant. The only way he is able to be relevant the last however many years - because his fights haven't been doing anything - is talk shit about me. It's pretty crazy man because I've had a really close relationship with all those guys out of Alpha Male and for him to go as far as he's gone is just insane to me."
While Faber has been careful to never directly accuse Dillashaw of wrong doing, he strongly hinted at Dillashaw using PEDs by suggesting that Dillashaw's body has undergone a noticeable change since the UFC implemented USADA drug testing, an accusation which Dillashaw is dismissive of.
"I think it's ridiculous. Go and look at all my fight pictures. Look at my last fights, look at my fight weigh-ins. It's all the same. It's just something to discredit my name and talk sh*t about. It really pissed me off. You know I haven't even said anything in the media about it, I've just kinda stayed quiet about it. It just really, really kind of pissed me off. It's a little ridiculous."
Faber and Dillashaw were training partners at Faber's gym Team Alpha Male for years, with Dillashaw rising to be one of Faber's most prized pupils. When Dillashaw won the bantamweight championship in 2014, it was the first UFC title for Team Alpha Male, the crowning achievement for a storied gym who had fallen short several times before. Then the relationship between Faber and head coach Duane Ludwig soured and when Ludwig left, Dillashaw - who had blossomed into a champion under Ludwig's tutelage - went with him. The ensuing hostile turn Faber took towards Dillashaw was unexpected by the former champion.
"This has completely caught me off guard. Like I said, I never thought he would be acting this way. It's very childish actually. Especially for how many people change camps and train other places and do all these things. And it's not like I'm even doing that. I'm sticking with the coach that he brought in that I hit it off with. It's just so crazy to me and so childish that he's acting this way and it's almost just to get attention in the media. That's the only thing I can put my finger onto because I've never known him to be this kind of guy."
Though Dillashaw didn't expect this reaction from Faber, he wasn't exactly filled with effusive praise for his former teammate either. Dillashaw speculated that insecurity may be the cause of Faber's outbursts before noting that the relationship has been irrevocably broken between the two.
"Urijah's about Urijah. He's about number one. He's always been that way. No matter what it is he needs to be doing something better than you, he needs to be one-upping you. He's a one-upper. Maybe he's feelings threatened that I had the belt and it's something he's never been able to get and he just wanted to discredit my name. It really is baffling and I thought we were closer than that but ... Things will never be the same. I will never be the same with Urijah ever again. The rest of the guys at Alpha Male I love them all and have great love for them. And I'm sure we'll continue to be cordial with each other but Urijah has just pushed it too far."
But pushing it too far has likely created a a big pay day for Dillashaw. Regardless of the outcomes of either fighter's next bout, Faber vs. Dillashaw is now a must-see fight for MMA fans. The UFC has often tried to build "bad blood" narratives around fights - to varying degrees of success - and Faber and Dillashaw have one of the more compelling back stories to build off of: teammates turning into rivals, student taking on master, betrayal, intrigue, and bad mouthing. But Dillashaw isn't interested in trash talking and finished discussing the Faber allegations by saying he isn't likely to do it anytime soon.
"Now this whole Conor McGregor fad, talk more shit do all this stuff, [fighters] aren't acting like professional athletes or martial artists. They're trying to be as disrespectful as possible because that's what MMA fans want. Which is pretty disheartening man... I understand making money, I understand selling fights, but to a certain level. Eventually it gets annoying and you just sound like an arrogant cocksucker."
T.J. Dillashaw fights Raphael Assuncao at UFC 200 on July 9th in Las Vegas Nevada.
* * *
Dominick Cruz weighs-in on Urijah Faber's accusations
5 MUST-READ STORIES
For sale by owner. Zuffa reportedly in advanced discussions to sell all or some of their UFC ownership.
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Bad strategy. Ben Rothwell says accepting the Junior dos Santos fight was a bad strategic move.
McGregor. Joe Rogan says Conor McGregor lost a "pissing contest" with the UFC.
EXTRA CREDIT READING
Suloev. Karim Zidan of Bloody Elbow follows up on his story about Amar Suloev, the MMA fighter turned contract killer who has finally been released from prison on bail after being diagnosed with stage 4 stomach cancer.
Hang 'em up. Greg Savage of Sherdog discusses if promoters should feel obligated to release declining fighters who refuse to retire despite increasing health concerns.
MEDIA STEW
Episode 2.
Robin Black breaking down 198.
Here's Freddie Roach talking about being asked to train McGregor.
And here's RJJ on Mayweather-McGregor and saying he would box the Diaz brothers.
Damn injury bug.
LISTEN UP
Josh Samman and Justin Buchholz are the guests.
Recapping the recent happenings and looking ahead to 198.
Samman making the rounds for his book.
TWEETS
Jon Jones gonna Jon Jones.
I think he has already deleted it. Haha. pic.twitter.com/X82LdXoc08
— Seán Sheehan (@SeanSheehanBA) May 10, 2016
JBJ is ruthless.
No because he consistently fails when he's up against greatness https://t.co/qHZ84Ez0ND
— Jon Bones Jones (@JonnyBones) May 10, 2016
More fighters should follow his lead.
Will Brooks' final tweet before he deleted his account. pic.twitter.com/7kzOerzhUy
— Mookie Alexander (@mookiealexander) May 11, 2016
Odd to be on the same side as Rovell.
Hey @danawhite, once you hire an investment back to give out your financials, it's hard to say you're not for sale.
— Darren Rovell (@darrenrovell) May 11, 2016
Why not just schedule a fight instead of doing this every time someone gets injured?
I have three questions... Can I get a work visa for Brazil in 3 days? can I make 185 pounds in 4 days? Would@UriahHallMMA take it? ;-)
— Tim Kennedy (@TimKennedyMMA) May 11, 2016
Daily McGregor update.
Today's money shot with today's triple shot! #TheFruits #EnjoyThem pic.twitter.com/DqpqKZGivj
— Conor McGregor (@TheNotoriousMMA) May 10, 2016
Kind of surprised that GSP hasn't become the new JCVD. How is he not kicking things in more movies?
Slavery.
This is starting to get a real Purge feel to it.
I think this is her second test this week.
Ouch. That might be a memory he'd like to forget.
FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS
T.J. Dillashaw (12-3-0) vs. Raphael Assuncao (23-4-0); UFC 200, July 9.
Marloes Coenen (23-6-0) vs. Alexis Dufresne (5-2-0); Bellator 155, May 20.
Marlon Moraes (16-4-1) vs. Josh Hill (14-1-0); WSOF 32, July 30.
TODAY IN MMA HISTORY
2008: The second round of the Dream Lightweight Grand Prix took place at Dream 3. At the event Caol Uno defeated Mitsuhiro Ishida via rear-naked choke, Eddie Alvarez defeated Joachim Hansen via decision, and Tatsuya Kawajiri defeated Luiz Firmino by decision.
2012: Daniel Straus won the Bellator season six featherweight tournament by defeating Marlon Sandro via unanimous decision at Bellator 68.
Birthdays
1989: UFC lightweight Frankie Perez.
1985: UFC featherweight Chas Skelly.
1976: Puncher of things, Melvin Manhoef
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