If feels like a lifetime ago, but earlier this year, T.J. Dillashaw was caught taking EPO and suspended by USADA for two years. It was a monumental occurrence that came on the heels of Dillashaw getting knocked out by Henry Cejudo in his bid for two-weight glory. As a result of the failed drug test, Dillashaw is now suspended until 2021, but though he’s not allowed to compete for the moment, the former bantamweight champion hasn’t lost his edge.

Speaking to Chael Sonnen recently, Dillashaw discussed his feelings towards current bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo, admitting that his loss to Cejudo still bothers him, and as a result, means he still has beef with “Triple C”.

“Probably not,” Dillashaw said when asked if he’d even so much as greet Henry Cejudo should he see him in public. “I definitely have some animosity towards myself, towards the sport, towards just everything. So it’s probably one of those things where I definitely wouldn’t say hello.

“I have some enemies that are definitely going to stay my enemies for the rest of my life and I wouldn’t say it’s because he is a sh*t talker, it’s more just the way he carries himself. It’s just something that I want back; not so much because he’s bad-mouthed or treated me a certain way, it’s just something that is burning inside of me, to get my belt back, to get that win back, to get back to where I need to be to get this thing behind me.”

When Cejudo knocked out Dillashaw at UFC on ESPN 1, he didn’t not directly win the bantamweight title, but he might as well have. Cejudo began immediately angling for a rematch at bantamweight and that may well have happened, except Dillashaw was caught using EPO. Dillashaw willingly relinquished his title before he could be stripped, and then Cejudo fought Marlon Moraes for the vacant 135 pound belt, winning the title and becoming only the fourth ever “champ-champ” in UFC history.

That second title has created some issues for Cejudo though. The champion is currently recovering from injury and seems to be less inclined to defend his flyweight title, instead chasing down fights against Frankie Edgar, Jose Aldo, Dominick Cruz, and, head-scratchingly, a number of the UFC’s female champions. All of that though gives short shrift to the flyweight No. 1 contender Joseph Benavidez who has won three fights in a row and is the only man to hold an unavenged loss over Cejudo. Benavidez has been calling for a fight with Cejudo and has recently intimated that should Cejudo opt to defend his bantamweight title instead, the UFC may strip him of the flyweight championship, but Dillashaw thinks that would be a mistake on Cejudo’s part.

“I think it would be very dumb for Cejudo not to fight Joseph Benavidez,” Dillashaw said. “That’s his last loss, that’s a fight that he has to make up. I think Joseph Benavidez has a great threat against him as well. I think that’s the fight that needs to happen, and he can’t be calling himself ‘Triple C’ no more if he’s going to be giving up a belt. So he needs to go down there and get it done and fight Joseph Benavidez. I think that’s the next fight for him. It makes the most sense. It’s the biggest draw. It’s a fight that was close, but Joseph did edge that fight out.”

Benavidez and Cejudo had a contentious battle in a three-round fight in 2016 which saw Benavidez narrowly get his hand raised, a decision many disagreed with at the time. Nevertheless, Benavidez won the fight and since then Cejudo has shown little interest in rematching the consensus second-greatest flyweight in history, suggesting that he may well be done with the division. And if he is? Dillashaw doesn’t have any idea who he should fight next, because he’s been too busy refocusing his life so he can come back better than ever when his suspension is finally lifted.

“To be honest, other than me coaching my guys here, I’ve tried to purposely stay out of the fights and what’s going on,” Dillashaw said. “I’ve been trying to focus on my businesses, my son, my life. I’m getting myself together.”

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VIDEO STEW

Bellator Featherweight Grand Prix Countdown 5.

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LISTEN UP

Eurobash. Interviews with Jack Hermansson and Jack Shore.

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SOCIAL MEDIA BOUILLABAISSE

Faber throwing heat.

Out.

Scott Coker holding court.

Andrade lost one belt but gained another.

Excellent memeing.

UFC Boston poster.

But this poster is way, way better. One of the UFC’s best.

Big time opportunity.

FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS

Vitaly Minakov (22-1) vs. Javy Ayala (11-7); Bellator 232, Oct. 26.

Julia Avila (7-1) vs. Karol Rosa (12-3); UFC Singapore, Oct. 26.

FINAL THOUGHTS

Thanks for reading! I’ll be taking a one-day hiatus for tomorrow, but AK will fill in my shoes.

EXIT POLL

If you find something you’d like to see in the Morning Report, hit up @JedKMeshew on Twitter and let him know about it. Also follow MMAFighting on Instagram, add us on Snapchat at MMA-Fighting, and like us on Facebook.