T.J. Dillashaw is no longer UFC Bantamweight Champion.
In a statement issued Wednesday morning on IG, Dillashaw (17-4), a two-time Bantamweight champion, said he is,
“…voluntarily relinquishing…”
his UFC title due to an,
“…adverse finding”
on his drug test after his loss to UFC Flyweight Champion Henry Cejudo back on January 19th at UFC Brooklyn.
The New York State Athletic Commission (NYSAC) and the United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) informed Dillashaw of the drug test findings.
Dillashaw, 33, has been suspended by the NYASC for one year and fined $10,000; there has been no formal suspension by USADA at this time according to ESPN’s Ariel Helwani.
As for the future of the UFC Bantamweight division, it is yet to be determined who will step in to fight for the vacant title.
A short list of challengers include, number one contender Marlon Moraes (22-5-1), Aljamain Sterling (17-3) and Raphael Assuncao (27-6).
Whatever the UFC decides to do, it will need to do so quickly with the news of one of its pound-for-pound fighters now out of action long-term.
Flip the pages to see Dillashaw’s statement and Twitter’s reaction.