TJ Dillashaw is one of the UFC's most explosive bantamweight champions, and sparring boxing great Vasiliy Lomachenko was a genuine wake-up call. Ahead of his UFC 213 title clash with Cody Garbrandt in 2017, Dillashaw traveled to World Boxing Gymnasium in Oxnard for four grueling four-minute rounds with the two-time Olympic gold medalist, later admitting he put it on me, he's an animal, he's a cardio machine, and he doesn't give you a break. Dillashaw praised Lomachenko's elusive footwork, saying he gets angles where you can't find him and as soon as you do, he's already hitting you. Despite losing every round, Dillashaw called sharing the ring with him amazing. Known for relentless output and ferocious knockout power, Dillashaw's willingness to seek out elite boxing coaching remains respected training.
Before his 2017 UFC 213 bantamweight title defense against Cody Garbrandt, TJ Dillashaw made an unusual training pilgrimage — four rounds of sparring with one of boxing's all-time greats, Vasiliy Lomachenko, at the World Boxing Gymnasium in Oxnard, California.
Dillashaw, now 40, carries an 18-5 record across a career defined by technical striking and relentless pace. Standing five-foot-six with a 67-inch reach, the orthodox fighter averages 5.09 significant strikes landed per minute — among the higher output rates at bantamweight — and has shown consistent takedown and grappling threat throughout his run, averaging 1.56 takedowns per 15 minutes. His willingness to seek out elite coaching outside MMA has long been a hallmark of his preparation.
The Lomachenko session was, by Dillashaw's own account, a humbling experience. Speaking publicly, Dillashaw admitted the two-time Olympic gold medalist put it on him, calling Lomachenko an animal and a cardio machine who never gives an opponent a moment's rest. He described being unable to locate Lomachenko through his evasive footwork, noting that by the time he found him, Lomachenko was already landing shots. Despite losing all four rounds, Dillashaw called the experience amazing, framing it as exactly the kind of high-level exposure he sought.
His opponent at UFC 213, Cody "No Love" Garbrandt, was 35 and stood five-foot-eight with a 65-inch reach, carrying a 15-8 professional record. Garbrandt, fighting out of Team Alpha Male, lands 2.82 significant strikes per minute with 40 percent accuracy — a puncher known for raw power and aggression in the pocket.
Why it matters
- Dillashaw's pursuit of world-class boxing training illustrates the cross-disciplinary preparation elite MMA champions increasingly seek
- His candid admission about losing every sparring round reflects a training philosophy that values adversity over comfort
- The anecdote offers a rare look into the lengths bantamweight-level competitors go in order to sharpen striking for championship bouts
