TJ Dillashaw says Cory Sandhagen fight is the “real title fight,” expects to “erase” PED controversy with his performance

TJ Dillashaw believes his fight against Cory Sandhagen in the main event of UFC Vegas 32 is the real title fight.

Dillashaw, the former bantamweight champion, is set to make his return to the Octagon after a two-year USADA suspension. It’s an intriguing matchup and due to the fact he never lost his belt inside the cage, he believes his scrap against Sandhagen is a title fight.

“This is a real title fight, to be honest,” Dillashaw said at media day (h/t MMAJunkie). “I was not very impressed with Aljamain and Yan in their last fight. I think Cory Sandhagen’s the toughest in the weight class right now. This is a true title fight. I’m the champ coming back, and it’s time to prove it.”

Although Dillashaw believes the fight is the title fight, many still have questions about him and his history with PEDs. Despite the fact that USADA went back and tested years’ worth of his tests, many fans have still wondered if he has been on EPO the entire time.

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For TJ Dillashaw, however, he is fine with people thinking that as he says he will silence the critics on Saturday night when he beats Cory Sandhagen.

“There’s not going to be a slip in my performance,” Dillashaw said. “I’m going to go out there and look dominant, so it’s going to be a great one. … I think (my performance is) going to erase (the controversy) after Saturday when I come out there, and you see how good I look.”

If Dillashaw does have a solid performance as he says and gets his hand raised, it will prove he is an elite fighter. Yet, Sandhagen is no easy task but the former champ is confident he has what it takes to win and win dominantly.

Do you think TJ Dillashaw will beat Cory Sandhagen?