Isn’t it funny how Twitter beef is a real thing, even for professional fighters? The latest in social media shenanigans comes from two of the most unlikeliest of sources: UFC Bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw and Boxing WBA Super Featherweight champion Gevonta “Tank” Davis.
Gervonta Davis on Twitter
I wanna fight the dude that fought Cody yesterday
It started when Dillashaw caught some sneak dissing from Davis on Twitter and he went in on Tank unmercifully from there.
(WHOA!) GERVONTA DAVIS CHECKED BY UFC CHAMP TJ DILLASHAW; CONFIRMS HE’S READY TO FIGHT: “BRING IT”
“Next time think before you call someone out @Gervontaa . Yes it’s been me the entire time,” wrote UFC champion TJ Dillashaw, who recently took to social media to respond to recent tweets made by world champion Gervonta Davis, confirming that he’s ready to make a fight ASAP. Check it out!
“Love it how you have to stay relevant by running your mouth instead of what you have accomplished in boxing. Your record is as padded as a push-up bra and you are ONLY relevant because of your daddy Mayweather. Never heard of a champ not “ready” to fight another champ.”
Davis heard the news and although he was game, eventually he believed that the smoke was coming from a fan with aspirations of igniting another inter-sport matchup a la Mayweather vs. McGregor.
“I hate to disappoint everyone but my Twitter beef with TJ Dillashaw was really with a guy named Jon Huang who tweets for TJ. He used to tweet me from Lomachenko’s account too.”
However, Dillashaw wasn’t having it and made sure to let both Davis and the fans watching globally that he wants all the smoke Davis can handle and fast.
“Someone got scared and is now backtracking. Did you get scolded by your daddy? ‘I told you to keep your mouth shut, now TJ is going to knock you the f@&k out boy. When will you ever learn?'”
With Dillashaw fresh off the heels of a second KO victory over former Alpha Male teammate Cody Garbrandt at UFC 227 to retain his title, he is definitely letting the world know he is down for all comers, even if they are not in his sport. After the financial success of Mayweather vs. McGregor, it was a certainty that more fighters would be looking to recreate that magic even if they have to manufacture it.
TJ Dillashaw on Twitter
If he dares to step in the octagon I would love to show him how my shin taste! Think he’s a over rated boxer as well with that padded record and I beat him in the ring. @Gervontaa I ain’t scared https://t.co/6wgmsgCGEQ
The August 4th show in Los Angeles was headlined by T.J. Dillashaw vs. Cody Garbrandt for the bantamweight title and Demetrious Johnson vs. Henry Cejudo for the flyweight title, and according to multiple reports the fight is currently estimated at doing 300,000 PPV buys.
The number was well above most expectations for the show, which also drew the largest live crowd the company has ever drawn at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, beating out such major fights as Matt Hughes vs. Royce Gracie and Ronda Rousey vs. Cat Zingano.
The stronger than expected number also confirmed the earlier stronger than expected number of Google searches that night, with more than one million, making UFC 227 the single-most searched item on the Internet the day of the show.
Although the beef with Davis might be real, the blueprint to making more money outside of MMA was firmly solidified by Conor McGregor who is not the richest MMA fighter in history. Can Dillashaw be looking to make his own waves in boxing? Will Davis actually entertain a cage fight? Time will tell but if the rule of thumb is to follow the money. This type of hype will only make Dana White’s ears perk up a little higher for the possibility of yet another huge cash out in the future.
