John Dodson (R) punches Merab Dvalishvili of Georgia in their bantamweight bout during the UFC 252 event at UFC APEX on August 15, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
The UFC decided to release John Dodson but the fighter has plans to continue in the sport
The UFC took the decision to release the Ultimate Fighter 14 winner John Dodson, sources confirmed to MMA Fighting.
The 35-year-old was also a two-time Flyweight contender but was unable to win the title on both occasions.
He did move up to the Bantamweight division and had some impressive wins. His last fight was against Merab Dvalishvili at UFC 252 but he lost that outing. The American did beat highly rated Nathaniel Wood before that but he seems set for a new challenge.
Dodson’s manager, Ricky Kottenstette, believed that his client still had a lot of fight in him (h/t MMA Fighting):
“John has fought the absolute best in the world in two weight classes and he’s still more than ready face elite competition. We look forward to talking to any and all promotions to find John the best home for his future.”
The 35-year-old leaves the UFC with a 21-12 record. However, all his 12 losses came via decision and he has never been knocked out in his professional MMA career.
Both his title losses also came against one of the best ever. Demetrious Johnson got the better of Dodson in both fights but both decisions were unanimous.
It will be interesting to see where Dodson could land up. Most of the MMA promotions are back up and running as the coronavirus pandemic hasn’t subsided.
However, the promotions are taking a lot of precautions, and at 35, Dodson doesn’t have a lot of years left in him.
What promotions will get is a tough competitor, someone who is willing to take on almost anyone. Many UFC fans were shocked at the announcement, especially given that he won against Wood.
Some fans called out the promotion for releasing Dodson while others wished the Magician all the best.
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