It's usually a given that UFC fighters who train together and compete in the same weight class want to avoid fighting each other. But when a championship belt is on the line, anything is possible.
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UFC bantamweight champion T.J. Dillashaw is coming off a fifth-round knockout win in his first title defense on Saturday at UFC 177. His next opponent isn't lined up yet but there are many contenders in the 135-pound division, one of them being Dillashaw's Team Alpha Male teammate and friend Urijah Faber.
The two have openly stated they do not wish to fight each other, with Faber saying it would take $1 billion to fight his friend, but UFC president seems to think he can get both of them to agree to a championship bout. White has dealt with this situation in the past with speculation of a bout between former welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre and teammate Rory MacDonald.
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"Everybody believes they can beat each other in the back of their minds because they all train together," White said in the UFC 177 post-fight media scrum. "But when it comes down to it, Faber would 100 percent fight him for way less than a billion dollars, and T.J. would fight him.
"It's like Rory MacDonald is in GSP's house, meaning his gym and everything," White continued. "He's not going to run around saying, 'Yeah, I want GSP for the belt.' There's a time and place and a way to do that. You're never going to hear guys say it publicly. They would never do that."
White has ruled out former bantamweight champion Renan Barao as a possible opponent for Dillashaw, but there are other options. Raphael Assuncao was the last man to defeat Dillashaw, and former champ Dominick Cruz is returning later this month after almost three years on the sidelines due to injury. Faber, currently ranked second in the division by UFC.com, competed for the UFC championship twice but came up short and would likely need another win to return to title contention.
"Faber's got to be in a position to fight for the title," White said. "You know what I mean? He's got to go in there and beat somebody and be in a position to fight for the title. And if he is, I promise you he will do it. I know he will, and I know T.J. will fight him too."
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