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It is perhaps exhausting to consider now, however John Dodson’s present bare-knuckle boxing run nearly 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 beneath bare-knuckle boxing guidelines and is scheduled to place his belt on the road in opposition to standout Dominican Republic professional boxer Dagoberto Aguero this Friday.
John Dodson talks BKFC journey
Figuring out all of that, you is perhaps shocked about what occurred when he was first requested about competing in preventing sans the gloves.
“To be trustworthy with you? I stated no,” Dodson stated in a latest interview. “I instructed them completely not.”
The visuals of bare-knuckle boxing had been off-putting for Dodson. Whereas he has seen the research that recommend 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 provides him pause to at the present time.
“I nonetheless have that sense that ‘I don’t wish 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 exhibiting concord, consider it or not.
It was John’s brother, Eric who first expressed curiosity in competing for BKFC. John stated his brother, often known as the “Thuggy Bear,” went to a tryout hosted by the promotion and earned a chance to compete. Nevertheless, fights saved falling by means of. John wished to provide his brother a shot at competing in BKFC, so he accepted a struggle after 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 stable,” Dodson stated. “Be a very good 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 could have hesitancy about bare-knuckle fights, Dodson believes he’s in a interval of his profession that he’s actually loving.
A Publish-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 in opposition to 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 rather more.
“Once I was in UFC at 135 [pounds], I used to be nonetheless making an attempt to safe a job and I wasn’t having enjoyable anymore … I used to be enjoying the secure recreation, I wished to make sure I had a subsequent struggle scheduled. As soon as these subsequent fights stopped coming by means of, 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 have to 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 workforce 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 workforce. These guys maintain me motivated … They push me to a brand new restrict. Once I was let go from the UFC, I wanted one thing else to encourage me. I carry on coaching their guys, ensuring that they will get higher. And never solely that, it helps me put the most effective foot ahead.”
Dodson says he desires to maintain competing to set an instance for his college students: “I don’t wish to sit there and be telling them, ‘Hey you guys ought to do that, that is how you actually turn out to be a champion’ with out ever being one in any respect.”
Whereas competing in bare-knuckle boxing, Dodson is little doubt 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 might be a unique problem in comparison with earlier BKFC fights that Dodson has been in. He has beforehand confronted MMA fighters beneath 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 file 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 hassle Dodson, as he appears to have the identical assured mindset irrespective of who’s throughout from him.
“I imply, he can have as many experiences all he desires,” he stated. “15-2 doesn’t imply something to me in relation 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 stable case as effectively. When his success lately, it’s clear that he’s having one of many strongest runs of his total 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 for the reason that begin of his UFC marketing campaign. Dodson competed a complete of 4 occasions 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 maintain his champion standing. And who is aware of, perhaps it’s going to maintain him within the bare-knuckle sport that he nonetheless has second ideas about for yet one more struggle.
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