It is likely to be exhausting to consider now, however John Dodson’s present bare-knuckle boxing run virtually didn’t even come to fruition. What began as a deed for a member of the family has developed over time, and now sees him headlining a card this weekend with a title within the combine.
The 39-year-old UFC vet presently holds the BKFC Flyweight Championship, which he earned with a first-round stoppage of JR Ridge final 12 months. He has beforehand stopped two different fighters below bare-knuckle boxing guidelines and is scheduled to place his belt on the road towards standout Dominican Republic professional boxer Dagoberto Aguero this Friday.
John Dodson talks BKFC journey
Understanding all of that, you is likely to be shocked about what occurred when he was first requested about competing in combating sans the gloves.
“To be trustworthy with you? I mentioned no,” Dodson mentioned in a latest interview. “I informed them completely not.”
The visuals of bare-knuckle boxing had been off-putting for Dodson. Whereas he has seen the research that counsel bare-knuckle boxing, albeit nonetheless a harmful sport, could have a lower rate of concussions than different types of fight, nasty “pores and skin on pores and skin, bone to face” contact in matches offers him pause to today.
“I nonetheless have that sense that ‘I don’t need to do that,’” Dodson joked. “Each time I’m at a BKFC occasion, I’m listening to individuals get hit within the again and it sounds so painful, man!”
Brotherly Love
So what introduced Dodson into BKFC? Stepping up for a member of the family and displaying concord, consider it or not.
It was John’s brother, Eric who first expressed curiosity in competing for BKFC. John mentioned his brother, referred to as the “Thuggy Bear,” went to a tryout hosted by the promotion and earned a chance to compete. Nevertheless, fights stored falling by. John needed to provide his brother a shot at competing in BKFC, so he accepted a combat once they got here to his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico, and made positive his Eric would get on the undercard.
“In the end I needed to do my brother a strong,” Dodson mentioned. “Be huge brother and placed on a hell of a present.”
Each of the Dodson brothers have discovered success since then. Dodson gained his BKFC debut in just 40 seconds, placing away fellow UFC alum Ryan Benoit. “Thuggy Bear” picked up his final victory simply a few months again. Whereas he might have hesitancy about bare-knuckle fights, Dodson believes he’s in a interval of his profession that he’s really loving.
A Put up-UFC Dodson
4 years faraway from the top of his UFC run, a time within the promotion that lasted almost a decade and included two totally different title fights towards Demetrious Johnson, Dodson says he’s merely having enjoyable. The strain of being within the high MMA promotion is gone, permitting him to take action way more.
“After I was in UFC at 135 [pounds], I used to be nonetheless attempting to safe a job and I wasn’t having enjoyable anymore … I used to be enjoying the secure recreation, I needed to make sure I had a subsequent combat scheduled. As soon as these subsequent fights stopped coming by, I needed to change up my mentality. Again into having enjoyable, ensuring I can go and do what I all the time love.”
When his UFC profession initially got here to an finish, Dodson remembers feeling misplaced. “Oh s***, I must get an actual job,” he remembers considering. Nevertheless it wouldn’t find yourself being the top of the highway for him. What helped him regain focus was teaching at United Match, the place the No person’s Villains MMA crew trains. Teaching is one thing that he desires to do even after his time as a fighter has come to an finish.
“I all the time love teaching my crew. These guys preserve me motivated … They push me to a brand new restrict. After I was let go from the UFC, I wanted one thing else to encourage me. I carry on coaching their guys, ensuring that they’ll get higher. And never solely that, it helps me put one of the best foot ahead.”
Dodson says he desires to maintain competing to set an instance for his college students: “I don’t need to sit there and be telling them, ‘Hey you guys ought to do that, that is how you actually develop into a champion’ with out ever being one in any respect.”
Whereas competing in bare-knuckle boxing, Dodson is little question nonetheless totally within the MMA world. He has been balancing his time as of late in between BKFC and Japanese MMA promotion RIZIN. He gained his RIZIN debut in late 2022, stopping veteran expertise Hideo Tokoro. He had a three-fight successful streak in MMA snapped late final 12 months when 2021 RIZIN Bantamweight Grand Prix winner Hiromasa Ougikubo beat him on scorecards. Whereas nothing has been introduced, he hopes to return to Japan someday quickly.
Not Afraid of Aguero
Friday will probably be a distinct problem in comparison with earlier BKFC fights that Dodson has been in. He has beforehand confronted MMA fighters below bare-knuckle guidelines or fighters like former champ Ridge, who’ve expertise strictly in BKFC. However this weekend he’ll be dealing with a expertise who comes from a extra conventional boxing background.
Aguero made his BKFC debut final 12 months with a third-round win over Likelihood Wilson. He had a 17-fight professional boxing report earlier than then, primarily build up wins within the Dominican Republic. He converted to bare-knuckle competitors after struggling a pair of losses, dropping a choice to Aram Avagyan and getting stopped by former Rey Vargas opponent Azat Hovhannisyan.
The totally different matchup doesn’t trouble Dodson, as he appears to have the identical assured mindset regardless of who’s throughout from him.
“I imply, he can have as many experiences all he desires,” he mentioned. “15-2 doesn’t imply something to me relating to being the extra dynamic striker. I’ve solidified myself being one of the vital harmful strikers and one of the vital adorned ones out of all of them.”
If the story about Dodson coming round on competing for BKFC didn’t show that he’s nonetheless a altering and remodeling fighter, a look at his profession makes a strong case as nicely. When taking a look at his success not too long ago, it’s clear that he’s having one of many strongest runs of his whole profession. Earlier than his shut loss in RIZIN only a few months in the past, he had a six-fight stretch of victories between MMA and bare-knuckle boxing, a run that hasn’t been seen because the begin of his UFC marketing campaign. Dodson competed a complete of 4 instances final 12 months, a degree of exercise that was final seen greater than a decade in the past in his profession.
A win this weekend would proceed Dodson’s latest profession resurgence and preserve his champion standing. And who is aware of, perhaps it’ll preserve him within the bare-knuckle sport that he nonetheless has second ideas about for yet one more combat.
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