Usman Gets a Career Test From Dillashaw

TJ Dillashaw believes Kamaru Usman should test himself in training before deciding whether his fighting career should continue. Reacting to Usman’s five-round defeat by Dricus du Plessis at UFC Oklahoma City, the retired fighter said the veteran looked slow and no longer showed the same reactions or competitive edge. His proposed answer was practical rather than ceremonial: enter a room filled with younger, hungry partners, allow them to apply sustained pressure and use those sessions to judge whether the old level is still available.

Usman’s loss came in the July 18 main event at Paycom Center. Du Plessis controlled the contest across five rounds, preventing Usman from building his first winning streak in four years. Afterward, Usman acknowledged on his podcast with Henry Cejudo that retirement had become a real option and said he needed to decide whether continuing was worth it. Dillashaw’s response addressed that uncertainty. He did not announce that Usman should retire, nor did he claim to know the decision. He argued that ordinary mitt work cannot answer the central question as clearly as difficult rounds against teammates determined to push the former champion.

The test Dillashaw wants Usman to take

Speaking on the Jaxxon Podcast, Dillashaw said Usman’s reaction time appeared diminished and that the same internal drive was no longer visible in the performance. He praised Trevor Wittman, Usman’s coach, but questioned whether the current routine was placing the fighter under enough competitive stress. Dillashaw’s suggestion was to seek a gym environment where young athletes would force Usman into deep water. In his view, those demanding sessions would let Usman see whether he still has the necessary level before he makes a decision about continuing.

That advice carries personal context. Dillashaw has been away from the Octagon for four years and retired after a recurring shoulder injury disrupted his 2022 attempt to take the bantamweight title from Aljamain Sterling. He therefore spoke as someone who has already faced the decision Usman is considering. Their circumstances are not identical, and the supplied material does not say they are. The relevant connection is that Dillashaw knows a decorated career can reach a point where reputation offers less useful information than the body’s response to one more demanding test.

Why the next decision remains Usman’s

Usman’s record places him in the discussion among the leading welterweights in UFC history, but past achievement cannot decide how he feels after the Du Plessis loss. Dillashaw’s plan is designed to reduce guesswork, not dictate the outcome. If Usman can handle the pace and pressure of younger partners, he gains current information about what remains. If he cannot, the same sessions may provide a clear reason to stop. Nothing in the source confirms another fight, a retirement date or a change of camp. The confirmed development is advice offered after Usman publicly admitted he must reassess his future.

• Dillashaw said Usman looked slower and his reaction time appeared reduced against Du Plessis.
• He recommended hard rounds with younger, aggressive training partners instead of relying only on controlled work.
• Usman has said he must assess whether continuing his career is worthwhile, but has not confirmed retirement.

Dillashaw is not asking Usman to protect his legacy with an automatic retirement or chase another bout on reputation alone. He wants the decision placed under pressure in a gym. After the loss in Oklahoma City and Usman’s own admission that the future is uncertain, that approach offers a concrete way to replace speculation with evidence. The answer, however, still belongs to Usman once the hard rounds are over.

Sources: Bloody Elbow