UFC 280: Sterling vs Dillashaw 135 lbs Title Bout Confirmed
UFC has confirmed another title bout for UFC 280 PPV in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
Aljamain Sterling will defend his Bantamweight Championship against TJ Dillashaw in the co-main event on October 22, 2022.
This will be Sterling’s second defence since he won the title from Petr Yan at UFC 259 in March 2021. That win came after an illegal knee strike from Yan and Sterling became the first fighter to win UFC title via disqualification. He suffered an injury after that bout, which led to the rematch between Yan and Sterling being pushed to April this year.
The title unification rematch was also not without controversy as Sterling managed to get a razor edge split decision in his favour. He will not get another veteran in TJ Dillashaw to prove that he belongs to the championship level.
Sterling is currently on a 7-fights winning streak which started in 2018. Just before getting his title shot, he defeated Cory Sandhagen via first-round submission. Other victims of this streak include Pedro Munhoz, Cody Stamann and others. Will he be able to continue this streak when he faces Dillashaw?
Dillashaw is a former two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion. He became the third champion in 2014 when he defeated Renan Barão at UFC 173. Dillashaw was later dethroned by Dominik Cruz in a Fight Night event in January 2016. Dillashaw won the title back 21 months later when he defeated Cody Garbrandt at UFC 207 PPV. He vacated the title after the failed drug test.
Dillashaw returned to the Octagon last year in July after his two years ban. The win over Cory Sandhagen also brought Dillashaw a knee injury. Will he become a 3-time champion at UFC 280?
UFC 280 PPV will be headlined by the Lightweight Championship bout between Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev. The stacked card will also see Belal Muhammad vs Sean Brady welterweight bout, Petr Yan vs Sean O’Malley bantamweight bout and Beniel Dariush vs Mateusz Gamrot lightweight bout.