T.J. Dillashaw regrets causing infamous Chris Holdsworth injury, but ‘he was always looking for a way out’

Former UFC Bantamweight Champion T.J. Dillashaw has provided an extensive clarification regarding the circumstances surrounding the career-ending injury sustained by his former Team Alpha Male teammate, Chris Holdsworth, in 2014. The incident, which has long been a subject of speculation and conflicting narratives within the mixed martial arts community, saw Holdsworth retire from active competition due to recurring concussions. Dillashaw, speaking on Dominick Cruz’s "Love & War" podcast, addressed the accusations of malicious intent, while also offering a unique perspective on Holdsworth’s mentality as a fighter.

The controversy stems from a sparring session at Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California, where Dillashaw is widely attributed with inflicting a knee strike that severely concussed Holdsworth. For nearly a decade, Dillashaw has borne the brunt of criticism, with some former teammates and observers portraying him as a bully, while Dillashaw consistently maintained the incident was an unfortunate accident. His recent remarks aim to provide a definitive account, emphasizing both his regret over the injury and his analysis of Holdsworth’s intrinsic motivation.

Chris Holdsworth, a highly touted prospect, had showcased immense potential prior to the incident. He rose to prominence by winning season 18 of "The Ultimate Fighter" in 2013, securing a submission victory over Davey Grant in the finale. Following this success, he improved his professional record to an unblemished 6-0 with a dominant unanimous decision win over Chico Camus at UFC 173 in May 2014. His grappling prowess, in particular, was frequently highlighted as a significant asset, positioning him as a potential future contender in the fiercely competitive bantamweight division. However, the sparring mishap with Dillashaw marked the abrupt end of his competitive career, as he never fought professionally again.

Dillashaw, reflecting on Holdsworth’s early career at Team Alpha Male, acknowledged his former teammate’s exceptional skills but questioned his competitive resolve. "Holdsworth was a guy that came into the gym and he’s insanely good," Dillashaw stated. "Like, very, very good, his grappling was the best. Like he’s the best I’ve ever worked with. Unfortunately, he didn’t have that competitive mindset. Like, when he first came in the gym, he could have went pro right away and he would find reasons not to fight and not want to do it. He didn’t have that killer instinct in him. And so he was always looking for a way out." This characterization suggests that, in Dillashaw’s view, Holdsworth’s departure from the sport might have been influenced by factors beyond the physical injury alone.

Related News :

• Bonfim Delivers Controversial Knockout Victory Over Brown at UFC Vegas 111 Main Event
• UFC 321: Ciryl Gane Faces Definitive Test Against Champion Tom Aspinall in Abu Dhabi
• Karl-Anthony Towns Celebrates 30th Birthday with Sentimental 1990s Isuzu Trooper, Honoring Late Mother’s Memory
• Memphis Grizzlies Navigate Internal Turmoil as Ja Morant’s On-Court Struggles and Off-Court Conduct Lead to Suspension
• Anderson Silva vs. Chris Weidman boxing match added to Jake Paul vs. Gervonta Davis undercard

Regarding the specific events of the sparring session, Dillashaw vehemently denied any intentionality in causing severe harm. He clarified that the incident was part of a broader period where both fighters were preparing for significant bouts. "I remember we were both getting ready for my Renan Barao fight, he was also fighting on that card against Chico [Camus], and I hit him with an overhand right in boxing and ever since then, he had been dealing with concussion stuff," Dillashaw recounted. He also noted that Holdsworth’s rigorous weight-cutting regimen for the bantamweight division, requiring early cuts throughout camp, may have exacerbated his susceptibility to concussions.

Dillashaw detailed the pivotal moment: "The stories are being said, we were in sparring in MMA, he shoots his shot, I stuff it and he’s coming to stand up and I go to throw a knee. I’m thinking I’m going to hit him in the chest, he’s standing up, he goes back down and I knee him in the head. It was an illegal blow and I felt horrible about it. It wasn’t like I maliciously went out and kneed him, people are saying in the back of the head. How am I kneeing him in the back of the head? There’s these things that were getting blown out of proportion because I left the team and they want to make me look as bad as possible."

The illegality of the knee strike – a direct blow to the head of a grounded opponent – is a crucial element of Dillashaw’s narrative, underscoring his immediate regret and the accidental nature of the impact as he perceived it. This contrasts sharply with allegations that the strike was delivered to the back of Holdsworth’s head, an accusation Dillashaw directly refutes as logistically improbable under the circumstances he described.

The context of elite MMA training camps, particularly one as renowned as Team Alpha Male, was also highlighted. Dominick Cruz, the podcast host and a former rival of Dillashaw, lent support to the notion that fighters accept inherent risks in high-level sparring. Dillashaw elaborated on the intense competitive environment: "I’m a very competitive guy. With everything I do, I always want to win. I want to win every round, ever since wrestling. I didn’t want to get taken down in practice. I get pissed if I get taken down in practice. Sometimes that gets the best of me and I want to go harder, and I want to go harder, and then he goes harder, and then you’re in a room full killers and everyone just keeps going harder and harder and harder, and then when you get the better of someone you’re the bad guy." He concluded, "And we’re training for world title fights. We’re not wrestling. We’re not playing chess. We’re playing a contact sport that bad things can happen."

This perspective underscores the high-stakes nature of preparing for world title bouts, a phase Dillashaw was entering as he ascended to become a two-time UFC Bantamweight Champion (with a professional record of 17 wins and 5 losses). His first title reign began just weeks after the Holdsworth incident, when he famously defeated Renan Barao at UFC 173 in May 2014, a fight for which both he and Holdsworth were training. Dillashaw’s career subsequently saw him defend the title against Barao in a rematch, compete in unification bouts, and engage in high-profile rivalries with fighters like Dominick Cruz and Cody Garbrandt. His career, while marked by significant achievements, also included a two-year suspension for an anti-doping violation in 2019, a period during which he maintained his commitment to the sport.

The narrative surrounding the Holdsworth injury became further complicated by Dillashaw’s departure from Team Alpha Male in 2015. This split was reportedly driven by a compensation dispute involving his coach, Duane "Bang" Ludwig, who had initially joined the team as head coach in 2013 and later transitioned to training Dillashaw independently. Dillashaw’s decision to leave his long-time gym and training partners for Ludwig’s Elevation Fight Team in Colorado was met with significant backlash from Team Alpha Male founder Urijah Faber and other members. Dillashaw contends that this acrimonious split fueled a desire within his former team to vilify him, thus exaggerating and distorting the facts of the Holdsworth incident.

The discussion around concussions in combat sports has evolved significantly since 2014. At the time of Holdsworth’s injury, while the dangers of head trauma were recognized, the long-term implications and comprehensive management protocols were still being developed. Organizations like the UFC have since implemented stricter return-to-play protocols, increased awareness campaigns, and invested in research to better protect fighter brain health. Holdsworth’s case, while tragic, highlighted the critical vulnerability of fighters to repetitive head trauma and the career-altering consequences it can entail, even for promising athletes with seemingly robust physiques and skills. His retirement served as a stark reminder of the inherent risks that accompany participation in professional mixed martial arts, a reality Dillashaw also emphasized in his recent comments.

💬 Tinggalkan Komentar dengan Facebook

Author Profile

Ali Akbar Rosady

Latest entries

• MMANovember 26, 2025UFC Lightweight Landscape 2025: Ilia Topuria Reigns Amidst Shifting Contender Dynamics and High-Stakes Bouts at 155 Pounds
• MMANovember 26, 2025T.J. Dillashaw regrets causing infamous Chris Holdsworth injury, but ‘he was always looking for a way out’
• MMANovember 26, 2025College Football’s Bottom Tier: Winless Minutemen Lead Struggle as Regular Season Nears Conclusion
• MMANovember 26, 2025Roundtable: Who should (and shouldn’t) fight for UFC welterweight title next?