TJ Dillashaw, the 2-Time Bantamweight Champion’s Left Arm Isn’t Working

TJ Dillashaw, the two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion, has confirmed that his career in the octagon is effectively over, not due to an ongoing struggle or injury, but because his left arm simply doesn’t work anymore.

The 37-year-old revealed this shocking truth during a candid interview on The Casuals MMA Podcast, where he explained that after multiple surgeries on his left shoulder, the arm no longer functions in a way that would allow him to compete at the highest level.

“Unfortunately it’s fucked,” Dillashaw said with remarkable frankness during the interview. “I can’t do this (raising his left shoulder). It doesn’t hurt, it just doesn’t work.”

These words marked a sobering moment for fans and the MMA community. Dillashaw’s left shoulder has been the source of multiple surgeries over the years, but it appears the damage is now so extensive that his arm’s functionality has been permanently impaired.

Despite there being no pain, the arm simply doesn’t respond as it once did, making the idea of returning to competition an impossibility.

TJ Dillashaw Can’t raise his left arm above his head

Dillashaw’s history of shoulder injuries is well-documented. The most significant was a torn rotator cuff during his 2021 bout with Cory Sandhagen, which required surgery.

Though he fought through the injury, his body could no longer bear the strain, and subsequent surgeries were needed to try and repair the damage. However, it seems the multiple procedures could not restore full function to his arm, leaving Dillashaw in the position of having to retire from active competition.

This announcement has come as a surprise to many, especially after Dillashaw’s highly anticipated return to the octagon in 2021 following his suspension.

Despite the challenges posed by his shoulder injuries, Dillashaw’s return was met with excitement from fans eager to see him fight once again. However, after a loss to Aljamain Sterling in 2022, it became clear that his health was deteriorating, and now we understand why.

TJ Dillashaw’s legacy in the UFC is secure.

He will always be remembered as one of the best bantamweight fighters in the history of the sport, a fighter who won two world titles and became known for his technical brilliance, his relentless pace, and his ability to evolve as a competitor.

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Though his left arm may no longer work, his impact on the sport remains profound, and he will go down as a pioneer of the bantamweight division.

In this new chapter, Dillashaw is left to focus on his life outside the octagon, a life where fighting will no longer be a part of the equation.

His retirement, while not driven by struggle or injury pain, is a reminder of the toll that years of combat sports can take on the human body — even on one of the sport’s most elite athletes.