How John Dodson Went From Turning Down A Bare-Knuckle Fight To Becoming BKFC Champion

It is likely to be laborious to imagine 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 advanced through the years, 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 yr. He has beforehand stopped two different fighters underneath 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

Realizing all of that, you is likely to be 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 advised 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, might have a decrease price 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 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 folks 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 cohesion, imagine it or not.

It was John’s brother, Eric who first expressed curiosity in competing for BKFC. John stated his brother, referred to as the “Thuggy Bear,” went to a tryout hosted by the promotion and earned a possibility to compete. Nonetheless, fights stored falling by means of. John wished to provide his brother a shot at competing in BKFC, so he accepted a combat 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 strong,” Dodson stated. “Be a very good massive brother and placed on a hell of a present.”

Each of the Dodson brothers have discovered success since then. Dodson received his BKFC debut in simply 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 tip 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 stress of being within the prime 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 sport, I wished to make sure I had a subsequent combat 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 at all times 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. But it surely wouldn’t find yourself being the tip of the highway for him. What helped him regain focus was teaching at United Match, the place the No one’s Villains MMA group trains. Teaching is one thing that he desires to do even after his time as a fighter has come to an finish.

“I at all times love teaching my group. These guys preserve me motivated … They push me to a brand new restrict. Once I was let go from the UFC, I wanted one thing else to inspire me. I carry on coaching their guys, ensuring that they’ll 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 need 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 absolutely within the MMA world. He has been balancing his time as of late in between BKFC and Japanese MMA promotion RIZIN. He received his RIZIN debut in late 2022, stopping veteran expertise Hideo Tokoro. He had a three-fight profitable streak in MMA snapped late final yr 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 shall be a distinct problem in comparison with earlier BKFC fights that Dodson has been in. He has beforehand confronted MMA fighters underneath bare-knuckle guidelines or fighters like former champ Ridge, who’ve expertise strictly in BKFC. However this weekend he’ll be going through a expertise who comes from a extra conventional boxing background. 

Aguero made his BKFC debut final yr with a third-round win over Probability Wilson. He had a 17-fight professional boxing report earlier than then, primarily increase wins within the Dominican Republic. He converted to bare-knuckle competitors after struggling a pair of losses, dropping a call 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 stated. “15-2 doesn’t imply something to me in the case of being the extra dynamic striker. I’ve solidified myself being some of the harmful strikers and some of the embellished 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 total profession. Earlier than his shut loss in RIZIN just some 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 yr, a stage 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, possibly it can preserve him within the bare-knuckle sport that he nonetheless has second ideas about for yet another combat.