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

It could be exhausting 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 developed over time, and now sees him headlining a card this weekend with a title within the combine.

The 39-year-old UFC vet at present 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 could be shocked about what occurred when he was first requested about competing in preventing sans the gloves.

“To be sincere 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, might have a decrease charge 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 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 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 mentioned his brother, generally known as the “Thuggy Bear,” went to a tryout hosted by the promotion and earned a chance to compete. Nonetheless, fights saved falling by means of. John wished to offer his brother a shot at competing in BKFC, so he accepted a battle 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 a very good large 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 practically 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 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 attempting to safe a job and I wasn’t having enjoyable anymore … I used to be enjoying the protected recreation, I wished to make sure I had a subsequent battle 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 street for him. What helped him regain focus was teaching at United Match, the place the No person’s Villains MMA group trains. Teaching is one thing that he needs to do even after his time as a fighter has come to an finish.

“I at all times love teaching my group. These guys hold 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 will get higher. And never solely that, it helps me put one of the best foot ahead.”

Dodson says he needs 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 change into 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 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 shall be a special 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 going through a expertise who comes from a extra conventional boxing background. 

Aguero made his BKFC debut final 12 months 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 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 irrespective of who’s throughout from him.

“I imply, he can have as many experiences all he needs,” he mentioned. “15-2 doesn’t imply something to me relating to being the extra dynamic striker. I’ve solidified myself being probably the most harmful strikers and probably the most 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 complete 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 occasions final 12 months, 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 hold his champion standing. And who is aware of, possibly it’ll hold him within the bare-knuckle sport that he nonetheless has second ideas about for yet another battle.