It's a title that TJ Dillashaw has had to learn to live with ever since Conor McGregor saw fit to christen him 'snake' during The Ultimate Fighter in 2015. The American had a somewhat acrimonious departure from Team Alpha Male (TAM), in essence, the bantamweight was poached by MMA coach Duane Ludwig after TAM owner Urijah Faber brought Dillashaw through from the college scene. McGregor was not long in pointing out Dillashaw's perceived betrayal, and the moniker of snake has followed the fighter ever since.
Dillashaw's exit from TAM provided much of the drama for the 32-year-old's two bouts against former TAM team mate Cody Garbrandt, with Dillashaw's recent knock out victory against Garbrandt at UFC 227 last weekend the second time Dillashaw had beaten his former sparring partner.
In the aftermath of the bout, Dillashaw posted a video to his Instagram account, a cartoon version of the fight in which he repeatedly turns into a snake before finishing Garbrandt:
Though to be fair, this isn't the first time that Dillashaw has acknowledged his unfortunate nickname, with the UFC fighter even going as far as to incorporate it into his merchandise:
