John Dodson (fighter) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids John Dodson |
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|---|---|
| Born | September 26, 1984 Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States |
| Other names | The Magician |
| Residence | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States |
| Height | 5 ft 3 in (1.60 m) |
| Weight | 125 lb (57 kg; 8.9 st) |
| Division | Flyweight Bantamweight |
| Reach | 66 in (168 cm) |
| Style | Gaidojutsu, Boxing |
| Stance | Southpaw |
| Fighting out of | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States |
| Team | Jackson's MMA |
| Rank | Black belt in Gaidojutsu |
| Years active | 2004–present |
| Mixed martial arts record | |
| Total | 39 |
| Wins | 24 |
| By knockout | 11 |
| By submission | 2 |
| By decision | 11 |
| Losses | 15 |
| By decision | 15 |
John Dodson (born September 26, 1984) is an American athlete who competes in mixed martial arts (MMA) and bare-knuckle boxing. He is known as "The Magician" because of his quick and exciting fighting style. John Dodson has fought in major organizations like the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and is currently the champion in the flyweight division of the Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC). He has been a professional fighter since 2004.
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About John Dodson's Life
John Dodson was born in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He grew up there and later moved to Edgewood with his family. He went to Moriarty High School in Moriarty.
While in high school, John was a talented athlete. He competed in track, football, and wrestling. In wrestling, he was a state champion two times. After graduating in 2003, he went to the University of New Mexico.
John's mother raised him and his brother, Eric. His favorite Filipino food is Pancit. John is married to Chelsea, and they have two daughters named Delilah Skye and Aurora Rose.
John Dodson's MMA Journey
John Dodson started training in mixed martial arts in 2002. He was encouraged to join because of his strong wrestling background. From his very first day, he loved the sport and trained every day.
He began by competing in grappling tournaments, winning at both beginner and intermediate levels. After that, he had two amateur fights before becoming a professional. His first professional fight was in Japan against a top flyweight fighter, Yasuhiro Urushitani. John lost that fight by decision.
Because there weren't many fights available in his weight class (flyweight), John also fought in featherweight and bantamweight divisions. He gained experience and a good record, which helped him get noticed for a reality TV show called "Tapout Reality."
Becoming a Star on The Ultimate Fighter
In 2011, John Dodson joined the UFC to compete on a TV show called The Ultimate Fighter: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller. To get into the show's house, he had to fight Brandon Merkt, and he won by TKO in the first round.
John was chosen for Team Mayhem. He won his first fight on the show against John Albert. Then, in the semi-finals, he fought his teammate, Johnny Bedford. John won this fight by knockout in the second round. This impressive win earned him a bonus for "Knockout of the Season."
Fighting in the UFC
John Dodson made his official UFC debut on December 3, 2011. He fought T.J. Dillashaw in the finals of The Ultimate Fighter 14. John won by TKO in the first round, becoming the first bantamweight winner of the show. He also received another bonus for "Knockout of the Night."
After this, John moved back to the flyweight division. He won against Tim Elliott and Jussier Formiga, showing his skills in the smaller weight class.
First Chance at a UFC Title
On January 26, 2013, John Dodson got his first chance to fight for a UFC title. He faced the UFC Flyweight champion, Demetrious Johnson. Even though John knocked Johnson down twice, he lost the fight by decision. This exciting fight was named "Fight of the Night."
John continued to win, including a knockout victory over Darrell Montague in October 2013, which earned him another "Knockout of the Night" award. He also won a rematch against John Moraga in 2014 and defeated Zach Makovsky in 2015.
Second Chance at a UFC Title
John Dodson got another shot at the Flyweight championship on September 5, 2015. He faced Demetrious Johnson again at UFC 191. However, Johnson won the fight by decision.
Moving Back to Bantamweight
After his second title fight, John Dodson decided to move back to the bantamweight division. He won his first fight back at bantamweight against Manvel Gamburyan in April 2016.
He had several more fights in the bantamweight division, facing tough opponents like John Lineker, Eddie Wineland, Marlon Moraes, Pedro Munhoz, Jimmie Rivera, and Petr Yan. He won some of these fights and lost others, often by close decisions.
In February 2020, John Dodson won against Nathaniel Wood by TKO in the third round. His last fight in the UFC was against Merab Dvalishvili in August 2020, which he lost by decision. John Dodson was released from the UFC in September 2020.
After the UFC
After leaving the UFC, John Dodson continued his fighting career. He was supposed to fight Cody Gibson in July 2021, but he had to withdraw after being in a car accident with his family. He later fought Gibson in October 2021 and lost by decision.
In April 2022, John Dodson defeated Francisco Rivera by decision. He then signed with Rizin Fighting Federation, a Japanese MMA organization. He returned to the flyweight division and won his debut fight against Hideo Tokoro by knockout in December 2022. He also won against Tatsuki Saomoto in May 2023. His most recent Rizin fight was a loss to Hiromasa Ougikubo in December 2023.
John Dodson's Bare-Knuckle Boxing Career
In June 2022, John Dodson also started competing in Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship (BKFC), a sport where fighters punch without gloves.
He quickly made an impact, winning his first fight against Ryan Benoit by knockout in just 40 seconds in August 2022. This win earned him the "Performance of the Night" award. He followed this up with another first-round knockout win against Jarod Grant in February 2023.
BKFC Flyweight Champion
On August 11, 2023, John Dodson fought for the very first BKFC Flyweight Championship. He won the title by technical knockout in the first round, becoming the first-ever champion in that division.
On March 29, 2024, John Dodson defended his BKFC Flyweight Championship against Dagoberto Aguero. The fight was a close one and ended in a unanimous draw, meaning neither fighter won. This exciting match was named "Fight of the Night."
John Dodson's Achievements
John Dodson has achieved many great things in his fighting career:
Mixed Martial Arts
- Ultimate Fighting Championship
- The Ultimate Fighter 14 Bantamweight Tournament Winner
- The Ultimate Fighter 14 Knockout of the Season
- Fight of the Night (One time) against Demetrious Johnson
- Knockout of the Night (Two times) against T.J. Dillashaw and Darrell Montague
Bare-Knuckle Boxing
- Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship
- BKFC Flyweight Championship (One time; current; inaugural)
- Fight of the Night (One time) against Dagoberto Aguero
- Performance of the Night (One time) against Ryan Benoit
Mixed Martial Arts Record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 39 matches | 24 wins | 15 losses |
| By knockout | 11 | 0 |
| By submission | 2 | 0 |
| By decision | 11 | 15 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loss | 24–15 | Takaki Soya | Decision (unanimous) | Rizin: Otoko Matsuri | May 4, 2025 | 3 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Loss | 24–14 | Hiromasa Ougikubo | Decision (unanimous) | Rizin 45 | December 31, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Saitama, Japan | |
| Win | 24–13 | Tatsuki Saomoto | Decision (unanimous) | Rizin 42 | May 6, 2023 | 3 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | |
| Win | 23–13 | Hideo Tokoro | KO (punches) | Rizin 40 | December 31, 2022 | 1 | 1:43 | Saitama, Japan | Return to Flyweight. |
| Win | 22–13 | Francisco Rivera | Decision (unanimous) | XMMA 4 | April 2, 2022 | 3 | 5:00 | New Orleans, Louisiana, United States | |
| Loss | 21–13 | Cody Gibson | Decision (unanimous) | XMMA 3 | October 23, 2021 | 3 | 5:00 | Miami, Florida, United States | |
| Loss | 21–12 | Merab Dvalishvili | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 252 | August 15, 2020 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 21–11 | Nathaniel Wood | TKO (punches) | UFC Fight Night: Anderson vs. Błachowicz 2 | February 15, 2020 | 3 | 0:16 | Rio Rancho, New Mexico, United States | |
| Loss | 20–11 | Petr Yan | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Błachowicz vs. Santos | February 23, 2019 | 3 | 5:00 | Prague, Czech Republic | |
| Loss | 20–10 | Jimmie Rivera | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 228 | September 8, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Dallas, Texas, United States | |
| Win | 20–9 | Pedro Munhoz | Decision (split) | UFC 222 | March 3, 2018 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Loss | 19–9 | Marlon Moraes | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Poirier vs. Pettis | November 11, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Norfolk, Virginia, United States | |
| Win | 19–8 | Eddie Wineland | Decision (unanimous) | UFC Fight Night: Swanson vs. Lobov | April 22, 2017 | 3 | 5:00 | Nashville, Tennessee, United States | |
| Loss | 18–8 | John Lineker | Decision (split) | UFC Fight Night: Lineker vs. Dodson | October 1, 2016 | 5 | 5:00 | Portland, Oregon, United States | Catchweight (136.5 lb) bout; Lineker missed weight. |
| Win | 18–7 | Manvel Gamburyan | TKO (punches) | UFC on Fox: Teixeira vs. Evans | April 16, 2016 | 1 | 0:37 | Tampa, Florida, United States | Return to Bantamweight. |
| Loss | 17–7 | Demetrious Johnson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 191 | September 5, 2015 | 5 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | For the UFC Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | 17–6 | Zach Makovsky | Decision (unanimous) | UFC 187 | May 23, 2015 | 3 | 5:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | |
| Win | 16–6 | John Moraga | TKO (doctor stoppage) | UFC Fight Night: Henderson vs. Khabilov | June 7, 2014 | 2 | 5:00 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | |
| Win | 15–6 | Darrell Montague | KO (punch) | UFC 166 | October 19, 2013 | 1 | 4:13 | Houston, Texas, United States | Knockout of the Night. |
| Loss | 14–6 | Demetrious Johnson | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on Fox: Johnson vs. Dodson | January 26, 2013 | 5 | 5:00 | Chicago, Illinois, United States | For the UFC Flyweight Championship. Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 14–5 | Jussier Formiga | TKO (punches) | UFC on FX: Browne vs. Bigfoot | October 5, 2012 | 2 | 4:35 | Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States | UFC Flyweight title eliminator. |
| Win | 13–5 | Tim Elliott | Decision (unanimous) | UFC on Fox: Diaz vs. Miller | May 5, 2012 | 3 | 5:00 | East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States | Return to Flyweight. |
| Win | 12–5 | T.J. Dillashaw | TKO (punches) | The Ultimate Fighter: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller Finale | December 3, 2011 | 1 | 1:54 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | Won The Ultimate Fighter 14 Bantamweight tournament. Knockout of the Night. |
| Win | 11–5 | John Moraga | Decision (unanimous) | Nemesis Fighting: MMA Global Invasion | December 11, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Punta Cana, Dominican Republic | |
| Win | 10–5 | Jessie Riggleman | Decision (unanimous) | Ultimate Warrior Challenge 8 | May 22, 2010 | 3 | 5:00 | Fairfax, Virginia, United States | |
| Loss | 9–5 | Pat Runez | Decision (split) | Ultimate Warrior Challenge 7 | October 3, 2009 | 5 | 5:00 | Fairfax, Virginia, United States | For the UWC Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | 9–4 | Jose Lujan | TKO (punches) | Duke City MMA Series 2 | July 25, 2009 | 1 | 0:52 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | |
| Win | 8–4 | Jose Villarisco | Decision (unanimous) | Ultimate Warrior Challenge 5 | February 21, 2009 | 3 | 5:00 | Fairfax, Virginia, United States | Flyweight bout. |
| Loss | 7–4 | Mike Easton | Decision (split) | Ultimate Warrior Challenge 4 | October 11, 2008 | 3 | 5:00 | Fairfax, Virginia, United States | |
| Win | 7–3 | Vern Baca | TKO (punches) | Battlequest 8 | April 11, 2008 | 1 | 3:42 | Denver, Colorado, United States | |
| Win | 6–3 | Zac White | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Last Man Standing 2 | December 15, 2007 | 1 | 3:42 | Roswell, New Mexico, United States | |
| Loss | 5–3 | Bill Boland | Decision (unanimous) | Ultimate Cage Wars 7 | April 7, 2007 | 3 | 5:00 | Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada | |
| Win | 5–2 | Jake Long | TKO (slam and punches) | Last Man Standing 1 | March 17, 2007 | 1 | N/A | Roswell, New Mexico, United States | |
| Win | 4–2 | Clint Godfrey | Decision (unanimous) | Ring of Fire 27 | December 9, 2006 | 3 | 5:00 | Castle Rock, Colorado, United States | |
| Loss | 3–2 | Joe Doherty | Decision (unanimous) | Ring of Fire 25 | July 29, 2006 | 3 | 5:00 | Vail, Colorado, United States | Won the Ring of Fire Bantamweight Championship. |
| Win | 3–1 | Jared Moreland | TKO (punches) | Rumble in the Rockies 2 | February 18, 2006 | 1 | 2:55 | Loveland, Colorado, United States | |
| Win | 2–1 | Johnny Velasquez | Decision (split) | KOTC: Socorro | July 23, 2005 | 2 | 5:00 | Socorro, New Mexico, United States | |
| Loss | 1–1 | Yasuhiro Urushitani | Decision (unanimous) | Demolition 041114 | November 14, 2004 | 2 | 5:00 | Tokyo, Japan | Flyweight bout. |
| Win | 1–0 | Zac White | Submission (rear-naked choke) | Desert Extreme | September 3, 2004 | 1 | 3:23 | Socorro, New Mexico, United States |
Mixed Martial Arts Exhibition Record
| Exhibition record breakdown | ||
| 3 matches | 3 wins | 0 losses |
| By knockout | 2 | 0 |
| By decision | 1 | 0 |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Win | 3–0 | Johnny Bedford | KO (punches) | The Ultimate Fighter: Team Bisping vs. Team Miller | November 30, 2011 (airdate) | 2 | 1:00 | Las Vegas, Nevada, United States | The Ultimate Fighter 14 Semi-finals. |
| Win | 2–0 | John Albert | Decision (unanimous) | October 26, 2011 (airdate) | 2 | 5:00 | The Ultimate Fighter 14 Quarter-finals. | ||
| Win | 1–0 | Brandon Merkt | TKO (punches) | September 21, 2011 (airdate) | 1 | 1:37 | The Ultimate Fighter 14 Preliminary bout. |
Bare Knuckle Boxing Record
| Professional record breakdown | ||
| 5 matches | 4 wins | 0 losses |
| By knockout | 3 | 0 |
| By decision | 1 | 0 |
| Draws | 1 | |
| Res. | Record | Opponent | Method | Event | Date | Round | Time | Location | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| win | 4–0–1 | Takaki Soya | Decision (unanimous) | Super Rizin 3 | July 28, 2024 | 5 | 2:00 | Saitama, Japan | |
| Draw | 3–0–1 | Dagoberto Aguero | Draw (unanimous) | BKFC 59 | March 29, 2024 | 5 | 2:00 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | Retained the BKFC Flyweight Championship. Fight of the Night. |
| Win | 3–0 | JR Ridge | TKO (punches) | BKFC 48 | August 11, 2023 | 1 | 1:49 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | Won the inaugural BKFC Flyweight Championship. |
| Win | 2–0 | Jarod Grant | KO (punches) | BKFC KnuckleMania 3 | February 17, 2023 | 1 | 1:41 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | |
| Win | 1–0 | Ryan Benoit | KO (punch) | BKFC 28 | August 27, 2022 | 1 | 0:40 | Albuquerque, New Mexico, United States | Performance of the Night. |
See also
In Spanish: John Dodson para niños
- List of current Rizin FF fighters
- List of male mixed martial artists
