– To the surprise of just about everyone not closely associated with Team Alpha Male, and former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, T.J. Dillashaw became the bantamweight champion with a fifth round TKO victory over Renan Barao Saturday night at UFC 173. Dillashaw finished the fight after a head kick and a flurry of punches.
For the first time, Team Alpha Male has a champion from the UFC, as Urijah Faber, Joseph Benavidez and Chad Mendes had failed to deliver in the past. Dillashaw was as much as an 8-to-1 underdog, but he stormed right out after Barao and nearly had the win locked up in the first round.
So, what could be next for Dillashaw? There are plenty of options, but the new champion would like to test his skills against someone who previously wore the belt: Dominick Cruz.
“Hopefully, he can make a comeback,” said Dillashaw, of Cruz, during the post-fight show on FOX Sports 1. “He was a great champion. He was a champion when I first started fighting that I looked up to and it would be an honor to fight that guy.”
Cruz was stripped of the title earlier this year after suffering a groin injury. He has missed several months after undergoing two knee surgeries.
– As if winning the bantamweight belt wasn’t enough for T.J. Dillashaw, the fighter also picked up two bonuses for his performance at UFC 173 Saturday night. Dillashaw netted $100,000 each for sharing “Fight of the Night” with Renan Barao and scoring a “Performance of the Night” honor.
Dillashaw finished Barao in the fifth round via TKO, improving to 10-2 in his career. The loss was the first for the Brazilian in nine years.
Mitch Clarke, who submitted Al Iaquinta in the second round on the prelims, also won $50,000 with a “Performance of the Night” check. The attendance inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas was announced at 11,036 for a live gate of $1.7 million.
– According to a report by ESPN, Jon Jones will defend his UFC light heavyweight title against Alexander Gustafsson at UFC 177. Gustafsson has signed the contract, but Jones is still in negotiations over a new deal, stated Dana White following UFC 173.
The card is expected to take place August 30 from Las Vegas, but White said that could still change depending on what happens in contract negotiations involving the current champion. Last year, Jones (20-1) defeated Gustafsson (16-2) via decision.
“Yes, that’s true,” said Manos Terzitane, the manager for Gustafsson. “We were offered to fight on the card at the end of August in Las Vegas. “This is a big fight. The first title fight was the best fight in UFC history. We’re just hoping Jones will accept the fight.”
Both fighters have earned wins since, as “Bones” topped Glover Teixeira earlier this year, while Gustafsson secured his rematch with a finish of Jimi Manuwa.
