In 2019, disgraced former UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw was suspended for two years for PED use. He didn’t take a tainted supplement, or fail to read a label, or eat meat in China. He injected EPO into his butt cheek. The suspension ended on January 18, 2021. Division champion Petr Yan defends next vs. Aljamain Sterling at UFC 259 on March 6 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Dillashaw has advocated for an immediate title shot his first fight back, and he may get it.

Cory Sandhagen earned back to back KO of the Year contenders, most recently vs. Frankie Edgar in the main event of UFC Vegas 18 on Saturday night. At the post-fight press conference, Sandhagen argued compellingly that he should get the next title shot, and that Dillashaw should not.

I think I’m better than Yan, said Sandhagen to Nolan King for MMA Junkie. If he wins, I want Yan. Same with Sterling, too, though. I’m a different animal. You guys have seen in the last two fights.

Sandhagen has lost just once in the UFC, to Sterling at UFC 250 on June 6, 2020, but he argues that he’s now a much improved fighter, and that his back to back performance bonus winning victories prove it.

I’m a different animal since that fight with Sterling, said Sandhagen. I’m grateful that he got to teach me a lesson. But the next time we fight, I’m going to hurt Aljamain. I want to fight the winner of that fight in July or whenever they want really. But nah, man. I’ve got to be next for the title. There’s no one else even in the conversation, I don’t think – especially after a performance like that.

I heard Yan doing an interview talking about how he wants to fight T.J. after. T.J. is coming off some of the most serious PEDs you can do in the sport. That seems disrespectful to the sport. I’ve been working. I’ve been working these last two years. I’m ready for the belt.

In yet another demonstration of his character, Sandhagen talked about how much he has to learn still, and how hard it was to beat the beloved Edgar.

I’m glad it was him and not me, said Sandhagen. This isn’t a game. It doesn’t feel good to watch someone crawl up and be all dazed, especially when it’s Frankie Edgar, who everyone loves, including myself.

I don’t really think I still even know that much about this sport, to be honest with you. I think the better I get, the more I realize how not great I am in certain spots, which is a good thing because I know that comparatively, I’m much better than a lot of people. I always have a learner’s brain. I don’t think I’m anywhere near 100 percent. There’s so much to be learned in this sport. I don’t think it’ll ever end. That will never end.