T.J. Dillashaw on UFC 173 title shot: There are always going to be haters

He’s one of the biggest underdogs at Saturday’s UFC 173 card, and he has 23 fewer fights than his opponent. So why did T.J. Dillshaw get a title shot against dominant champ Renan Barao?

We spoke to the challenger ahead of the pay-per-view headliner, which takes place at Las Vegas’ MGM Grand Garden Center.

Dillashaw (9-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC), a 6-1 underdog to Barao (32-1 MMA, 7-0 UFC), has heard plenty of criticism, but he said the title shot is justified.

“People can disagree, but there’s always going to be that,” he said. “You’re always going to have someone who disagrees with you or hates on you or whatever. You just have to look past it and believe in yourself. That’s pretty much what it comes down to: always believing in yourself.”

Check out the full chat above.

And for the latest on UFC 173, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.