T.J. Dillashaw Declines Cody Garbrandt Rematch at UFC 222

T.J. Dillashaw isn’t interested in defending his UFC bantamweight title on just one month’s notice.

The UFC is working on a new main event for their March 3 pay-per-view. UFC 222 was set to be headlined by a featherweight title defense between champion Max Holloway and Frankie Edgar. Holloway is sidelined with an injury and will be unable to compete on the card.

While Dillashaw and flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson have been angling for a “super fight” in July, the UFC made an emergency offer to Dillashaw. The promotion tried to book a last-minute rematch between Dillashaw and Cody Garbrandt for the bantamweight title. Dillashaw finished Garbrandt back in November to capture the 135-pound gold.

ESPN’s Brett Okamoto reached out to the 135-pound champion, who revealed he has declined the rematch:

“It took me two years to get the title shot back, now they want me to defend it on four weeks notice? I have a five-week old son. I’m not training. My camp is in California and I’m in Denver right now. And all this to face a guy who doesn’t deserve a rematch to begin with? I lost a split decision to Dominick Cruz when I lost my belt, the UFC told me they thought I won that fight, and it still took me two years to get back to it. I had to wait through Cody’s back injury last year, all of TUF bulls*t. I told the UFC I’m not doing it. I’m shooting for the DJ fight in July.”