UFC Bantamweight Title Fight: Aljamain Sterling vs. T.J. Dillashaw
BETTING PREVIEW | SCOUTING REPORT | ODDS: Sterling (-175), Dillashaw (+150)

Round 1
The co-main event kicks off under the watchful eye of referee Marc Goddard. They exchange kicks as Sterling changes stances. Tons of movement early on, and Sterling catches a kick which he uses to spin Dillashaw to the canvas. Sterling takes Dillashaw’s back for a moment, but they spin through and Sterling lands in half guard. Dillashaw appears to be in pain from something. Sterling moves to mount, then locks up a body triangle from the top. Dillashaw’s left arm or shoulder may be the problem. Sterling lands a couple of huge right hands from the top, then takes Dillashaw’s back. Sterling working for a choke, then gives it up to move back to mount. Dillashaw pops back up and scrambles, but Sterling is all over him, regaining back control. Under two minutes left and Sterling has Dillashaw in a body triangle from back mount. Sterling pelts the ex-champ with punches that curl around the front of Dillashaw’s face. Dillashaw escapes to his feet and his left arm is clearly compromised. Sterling drops for a takedown with 30 seconds left, driving Dillashaw to the fence. He peels Dillashaw away from the fence and dumps him on the canvas. Dillashaw pops back up right before the horn.

Sherdog Scores
Ben Duffy scores the round: 10-8 Sterling
John Brannigan scores the round: 10-8 Sterling
Tudor Leonte scores the round: 10-8 Sterling

Round 2
Dillashaw’s shoulder is popped back in between rounds, and they’re good to go for another round at least. Sterling throws low kicks to open the round as Dillashaw returns fire, mostly with his right hand. Sterling drops levels for an easy double-leg takedown in the middle of the Octagon. Sterling sets up in Dillashaw’s half-guard. Sterling tries to move to side control, dropping elbows as he does. Dillashaw drives back to his feet, but is ensnared in a D’Arce choke as he does. Dillashaw escapes the hold, and his arm is once again all the way out of the socket, hanging limply at his side. The champ seems unsure of what to do, but takes Dillashaw down again. Sterling moves to mount. Dillashaw turns his back and goes belly-down. Sterling smashes Dillashaw with a couple of brutal elbows, then several punches, and Dillashaw is doing next to nothing to defend himself. Ref Goddard steps in and mercifully calls a stop to the mauling.

The Official Result
Aljamain Sterling def. T.J. Dillashaw R2 3:44 via TKO (Punches)

Cory Sandhagen vs. T.J. Dillashaw

Round 1
For both men in this bantamweight headliner, a title shot may be hanging in the balance. For Sandhagen (14-2, 7-1 UFC), he stares at a possible rematch against current champ Aljamain Sterling and a path to greatness. A far different story looms for Dillashaw (16-4, 12-4 UFC), who will be appearing for the first time since an ill-fated trip to flyweight, where he came up short at becoming a two-division champ. Since January 2019, Dillashaw has been on the shelf after testing positive for EPO, while Sandhagen has roared out of the gate with four wins surrounding a single loss. To the victor belong the spoils; the contender and the ex-champ touch gloves in front of customary headlining ref Herb Dean, and it’s fight time. Dillashaw rushes forward, straight into a leg kick that comes at him for the first strike of the fight. Dillashaw sprints forward and throws a right hand, and a head kick gets caught. He connects with a right hand, and Sandhagen fires right back at him with a head kick and a leg kick. Sandhagen hurts Dillashaw with a punch, and he leaps forward with a flying knee. Dillashaw knows it is coming, and he lifts Sandhagen in the air and puts him down. Sandhagen snatches up an inverted triangle choke, and Dillashaw gets away with a shorts grab to find himself some space and get his neck free. He sits up to land a few punches, fights off a leglock attempt, and sees Sandhagen explode back to his feet. The former champ is tight on his opponent, pressing Sandhagen into the cage and landing a few hard knees to the thigh. Sandhagen turns him about and frees himself, where he smacks Dillashaw with a right hand. Dillashaw charges in for a takedown, and both fall to the ground in an odd position until they stand back up. Dillashaw leaps forward with a left hand that snaps the head back, and Sandhagen comes back at him with a body shot and a left over the top. Dillashaw kicks his leg out from beneath his foe quickly, and Sandhagen makes Dillashaw flinch with a pump-fake. Dillashaw kicks at his foe, and Sandhagen is ready with a left hand counter. Dillashaw pressures his foe into the fence, with a takedown attempt before Sandhagen can kick him. Dillashaw tosses Sandhagen to the ground, and Sandhagen rolls through and gets off a few hammerfists from below. Dillashaw slams a single elbow home, and Sandhagen threatens with a leg lock low on the ankle more for position than submission. Dillashaw jumps back down, and he is holding on to the fence to get leverage and land strikes. Dillashaw keeps grabbing the fence to maintain this top position, and he sits up and drills Sandhagen with a few punches before Sandhagen scrambles. “Sandman” gets back to his feet, and the round ends.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dillashaw
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Dillashaw
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dillashaw

Round 2
Between rounds, the replays show that Dillashaw torqued his left knee when Sandhagen had a leglock, and he complains to his corner that he believes something popped. He still can continue, and he rushes out to begin the round by pursuing a takedown against the fence. Sandhagen breaks free, catches a kick and throws his man down. Dillashaw may be compromised on his rear leg, and he takes a few stiff punches across the bow while trying to put weight on it. Dillashaw comes in to attack, and Sandhagen is able to smoothly dodge the punches but he takes a leg kick on the way out. Sandhagen paws out several punches, and the two trade heavy, loud leg kicks. Sandhagen just grazes the chin with an uppercut, and he slips out of the way when Dillashaw aims a big right hand at him. Sandhagen sits down on a left hand, lifting Dillashaw off the ground and hurting him badly. Dillashaw shoots for a desperation takedown, but Sandhagen defends it and smashes his nose with a left hand. The nose of the former champ is bloodied and busted, and Sandhagen cracks him with a right hand to slash open a cut on Dillashaw’s right eyebrow close to the bridge of his nose. The placement of the cut is bad, but the doctor clears him to continue. Sandhagen picks away at him from range, until he leaps forward with a knee and follows it with several punches and an elbow. Dillashaw tries to fire back at him but he hits air, allowing Sandhagen to nail him with a spinning elbow. Dillashaw closes the distance, but Sandhagen tags the cut with a few punches before going up high with a kick. Dillashaw looks to explode with a punch and a takedown attempt, and he circles around to hold on to Sandhagen from behind. He wrenches Sandhagen down to the ground, but he cannot keep him there for long. Dillashaw doggedly pursues the takedown, but all he can muster is a few knees to the thigh right before the break. Sandhagen sneaks in one last elbow right at the bell.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen

Round 3
The bantamweights touch gloves to begin the round, and Dillashaw’s cut is cleared and closed up for now. Sandhagen plays possum as he moves away from a few punches, and he times a back elbow that clips Dillashaw on the chin. A few long left hands from Sandhagen open the cut back up again, and Dillashaw quickly wipes at it. Sandhagen plants the fall of his foot on Dillashaw’s chest, and he lands a punch and a spinning back elbow in rapid succession. Dillashaw’s chin stays together, and he crashes in to attack a double leg takedown. Sandhagen turns to defend, and he takes a few short knees to the thigh but gets Dillashaw’s attention with an elbow. Dillashaw has to back off as the blood continues to flow in his eye, and Sandhagen targets the blind spot with several more punches. Dillashaw charges like a bull, and the matador of Sandhagen dances out of harm’s way and stings Dillashaw a few times with accurate strikes. Dillashaw goes low with several kicks, and his foe slips a punch and scores a solid right hand. Sandhagen spins with a punch into a hook kick, and Dillashaw catches him in the air and plants him down on the canvas. Sandhagen rolls through without taking damage to stand back up, and he breaks free and stands before his opponent with his hands down. Sandhagen walks forward, unconcerned with the power, and he reaches Dillashaw with several punches while evading the responses. Dillashaw sits down on leg kicks, and Sandhagen pulls his leg back and finally gives him one back. Sandhagen splits the guard with a right hand, and Dillashaw comes out firing with two punches before pursuing a takedown. Sandhagen steps in with a knee when he breaks off, and shoots in for a takedown of his own but is easily stuffed. Dillashaw spins around to take his back, and the two walk to the fence in the familiar position of Dillashaw holding him from behind. Sandhagen pops Dillashaw with a no-look elbow, and the two land heavy blows right before the bell. When the horn sounds, Sandhagen scores a big right hand. Dillashaw protests, but the fight goes on to the championship rounds.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Dillashaw
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dillashaw

Round 4
The round begins with several leg kicks from the former champ, who is fired up and ready to throw caution to the wind. He gets Sandhagen’s respect as he lands a few punches, and the two clash heads when closing in. There is no major damage from it, so Dillashaw ducks down to take the fight down but is comfortable holding on to a body lock from behind. Dillashaw holds on with several knees to the thigh as he tries to wrestle Sandhagen down, and he swings a big right hand when they break apart. Sandhagen ducks and counters, pawing out a trio of punches that bloody the eyebrow up again. Sandhagen stings Dillashaw with a left and then a right, and he evades the counterpunches that loop past his head. Dillashaw scores a leg kick and whiffs on a jumping overhand right, and Sandhagen peppers him with long, reaching punches. Sandhagen rips the body with a left hand, and he uppercuts Dillashaw in the body as Dillashaw closes in. The ex-champ grabs hold of him and wrestles him to the mat, but Sandhagen springs back up with Dillashaw holding his back. Sandhagen breaks the grip and lands a right hand, and he uses head movement and footwork to get away from the wild strikes from the bloodied Dillashaw. Dillashaw shoots for a takedown from afar, and Sandhagen stays upright but is getting pressed into the wire. Dillashaw redoubles his effort to get him down, but Sandhagen gets free and fights off the hand as Dillashaw is grabbing his glove. Sandhagen tattoos his fist on Dillashaw’s face, marking him up with jabs and snappy punches. Dillashaw fires back with a combination, and the only strike that lands is a thudding leg kick. Sandhagen spins and blasts Dillashaw in the face with an elbow, and Dillashaw shouts as he absorbs the blow. The round ends with Dillashaw giving chase.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Dillashaw
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Dillashaw

Round 5
The final round begins, and Dillashaw pushes the pace with several leg kicks. Dillashaw chases him down but gets shoved away when he tries to get a grip on his foe, and the two trade long punches. Dillashaw whiffs on a few punches and lands a body kick, and Sandhagen stands before his man with his hands down. Dillashaw jumps forward with punch salvos, and Sandhagen touches Dillashaw on the way in and breaks up the combination. Dillashaw closes in, circles around and wrenches Sandhagen down to a knee. Sandhagen powers back up and breaks the grip to free himself, but not for long, as Dillashaw is ready to embrace the grind on him. Sandhagen works the body and pushes his adversary off of him, and he continues his assault on Dillashaw’s liver with left hands. Sandhagen scores a left hand, and as Dillashaw advances, he plants his knee on Dillashaw’s chest. Dillashaw is unconcerned and pushing the pace, charging after Sandhagen and landing a solid right hand on the way in. Sandhagen clips him with a right hand, but the former champ wears it well and gets countered on the way in. When Dillashaw reaches, Sandhagen is there to tag him with a longer, rangier punch. Dillashaw takes the distance away by clinching up, and he pursues a body lock takedown while gripping the fence. When Sandhagen gets free, he lands a heavy right hand, and Dillashaw is ready to brawl. The two are throwing single strikes one after the other like a pair of “rock-em sock-em robots,” until Dillashaw closes in to take the fight down. Dillashaw eats a right hand and gets uppercutted on the way, and the two trade blows. A left hand from Sandhagen digs to the body, and the two are throwing everything they have left in their punches. Sandhagen darts away when Dillashaw tries to charge him, and the both men land ferocious punches. Sandhagen lands effectively as he dodges the swarming former champion, and the fight ends in the hands of the judges. What a wild battle, and one that will see both men’s stock rise from it. Next week, we will once more be treated to an ESPN card, with one currently stuffed with 15 fights. We will be here for it, and we hope you are too.

Sherdog Scores
Jay Pettry scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen (48-47 Sandhagen)
Lev Pisarsky scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen (48-47 Sandhagen)
Tyler Treese scores the round: 10-9 Sandhagen (48-47 Dillashaw)

The Official Result
T.J. Dillashaw def. Cory Sandhagen via Split Decision (47-48, 48-47, 48-47)

UFC Bantamweight Title Fight: T.J. Dillashaw vs. Cody Garbrandt

Round 1
Referee Herb Dean is the third man in the cage for tonight's 135-pound championship main event. Dillashaw blocks the first head kick from Garbrandt, then backs up and grins at his advancing challenger. Garbrandt gets a mitt up to block Dillashaw's right high kick as the bantamweights continue to feel out one another in the first 90 seconds. Garbrandt steps inside and gets cleared out of the pocket by Dillashaw's counter right hook. Dillashaw lowers his head and waits for Garbrandt to charge, then rocks "No Love" with a whipping right hand. Dillashaw slips, jumps up and gets pounced upon by Garbrandt, but the challenger is too eager and doesn't see Dillashaw's counter left hook coming. Garbrandt hits the deck in a daze, on his knees as Dillashaw tries to take his back. Garbrandt locks down one of Dillashaw's hands and clings on for dear life as he slows down the fight. The fighters scramble up, and Dillashaw stalks his wounded foe backward to the fence. Garbrandt shoots desperately for Dillashaw's legs and gets wobbled with a forearm to the chin. Garbrandt hits the ground, somehow climbs back to his feet under fire, but Dillashaw is all over him with punches against the wall. Dillashaw pulls a Thai clinch and obliterates Garbrandt with a knee to the face, then rattles his brain with a few more punches before referee Dean stops the bout. T.J. Dillashaw retains his UFC bantamweight title with another spectacular knockout of Cody Garbrandt, this one even quicker than the first.

The Official Result
T.J. Dillashaw def. Cody Garbrandt via KO (Knee and Punches) R1 4:10