John Dodson released from the UFC
John Dodson is no longer on the UFC roster after being released by the company last night. MMA Fighting was first to report the news.
Dodson competed in the flyweight and bantamweight divisions and twice challenged longtime flyweight champ Demetrious Johnson for the title. He lost the first fight to Johnson in an extremely close fight before losing to him again in a rematch at UFC 191. Dodson was also the TUF 14 winner when he scored a TKO win over T.J. Dillashaw in the finals. Dodson also has notable wins over Jussier Formiga, Eddie Wineland and Pedro Munhoz.
Following the release, Dodson’s manager Ricky Kottenstette issued a statement on the matter.
“We are excited to see what other offers are out there for John,” Kottenstette said. “John is 100 percent committed to his fight career and he’s not diminished in his skill set whatsoever.
“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.”
Dodson has lost three of his past four in the UFC with losses to Jimmie Rivera, current bantamweight champion Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili. His lone win in the stretch came in February when he stopped Nathaniel Wood.
The 35-year-old will look to continue his MMA career in which he has ranked up 33 professional fights. Kottenstette told MMA Fighting that he will speak with multiple promotions in order to decide on the best next step for his client’s future.
