Sports blog information from USA TODAY.
Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”
Thursday’s edition of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.
On Episode 3,372, the fellas bring on guest [autotag]John Dodson[/autotag], who fill fight for BKFC’s flyweight title. Plus, they look ahead to Saturday’s UFC on ABC 5, Friday’s PFL regular season finale and more. Tune in!
Former UFC title challenger John Dodson will be fighting for the first BKFC flyweight belt in August.
[autotag]John Dodson[/autotag] is getting a chance to make history.
The former UFC title challenger has been booked to fight for the inaugural Bare Knuckle FC flyweight belt on Aug. 11 in his hometown of Albuquerque, New Mexico. He takes on [autotag]J.R. Ridge[/autotag] in the main event of BKFC 48.
The news was announced by the promotion Thursday afternoon.
Dodson has been simultaneously competing in MMA and bareknuckle boxing since his UFC release in 2020. Under the BKFC banner, he’s gone 2-0 with both wins coming by first-round knockout. He most recently competed in February when he stopped Jarod Grant at KnuckleMania 3.
On the MMA side of things, Dodson has gone 3-1 since his UFC days, notching notable wins over Francisco Rivera and Hideo Tokoro.
At the height of his UFC run, Dodson challenged for the 125-pound belt twice, once in 2013 and the other in 2015, both times coming up short in unanimous decisions against then champion Demetrious Johnson.
This main event bout at BKFC 48 will be the first time Dodson challenges for a championship belt since his UFC rematch against Johnson.
Ridge, who fights out of Tampa, Fla., is 3-1 in the bareknuckle boxing world. The 37-year-old is coming off a decision victory over Chance Wilson at BKFC 32 back in November.
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Some incredible fights aired on big FOX during that era of the UFC from 2011 to 2018, and these are the best of the best.
With the UFC currently churning out cards across multiple platforms such as ESPN, ESPN+ and ABC, it can be easy to forget about the promotion’s history on previous networks that helped launch the world’s MMA leader into the juggernaut that it is today.
Initially reaching a broadcast deal with FOX Sports in August of 2011, the UFC went on to air live fight in primetime from November of that year until December of 2018. This also included additional UFC Fight Nights and broadcast content for FOX’s various cable properties, which included FOX Sports 1, FX and FUEL TV.
Not only would this agreement lead to the UFC’s first televised events on network television in the U.S., but it also sparked a more “corporate era” of the company in regard to the uptick of its show schedule and more mainstream marketing tactics that quietly contributed to its capability to make a multibillion-dollar sale to WME-IMG in 2016.
During this time, the UFC obviously looked to its top talent to fill these cards, even leaning on underappreciated and/or underpaid fighters such as Demetrious Johnson and Nate Diaz (whom the promotion traditionally butted heads with at the negotiating table).
This post pays homage to some of the UFC fighters who made the FOX era an incredibly fun follow-up to the organization’s “Golden Era.” Note: It would be too difficult of a list if I included Fight Nights from FS1, so this list will strictly be focused on the fights that aired on the big FOX network.
Without further ado, here are my top 10 fights that aired on FOX …
Check out these photos from the BKFC Knucklemania 3 media workouts in Albuquerque, N.M.
Check out these photos from the BKFC Knucklemania 3 media workouts ahead of the event taking place at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, N.M. (Photos courtesy of BKFC)
Check out which veterans of the UFC are in MMA and boxing action this weekend across the globe.
The UFC is back in Las Vegas following the huge UFC 284 in Perth, Australia. UFC Fight Night 219 takes place at the UFC Apex, with a women’s flyweight banger at the top of the card between former strawweight champ Jessica Andrade and Erin Blanchfield.
Elsewhere, many other MMA events are taking place that feature familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.
These 7 veterans of the global MMA leader are competing in MMA boxing this week from Feb. 17-18.
Check out the names and details about their bouts below.
Upcoming event information from Tapology.
John Dodson continues to stay active in his post-UFC run.
[autotag]John Dodson[/autotag] continue to stay active in his post-UFC run.
Less than two weeks after picking up a win in his Rizin FF debut on New Year’s Eve, Dodson’s next assignment is already set, and it will come with Bare Knuckle FC.
Dodson, a former two-time UFC title challenger, has been added to “BKFC: KnuckleMania 3” tentpole event, which takes place Feb. 17 at The Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque, N.M. The event streams via online pay-per-view on the BKFC app.
“The Magician” will get a tough test, too, in the form of a flyweight matchup with former BKFC titleholder Jarod Grant, the promotion announced in a press release Wednesday.
Since parting ways with the UFC in late 2020, Dodson has gone 3-1 in his combat sports run. He made his BKFC debut in August, earning a 40-second knockout of fellow octagon veteran Ryan Benoit.
Dodson then headed overseas to fight for Rizin FF, where he earned a vicious TKO of Hideo Tokoro in less than two minutes.
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John Dodson is hoping to fight fellow former UFC title challenger Kyoji Horiguchi now under the Rizin FF banner.
[autotag]John Dodson[/autotag] wants to take on one of Japan’s best ever.
The former UFC title challenger is hoping to cross paths with former Bellator and Rizin FF champion [autotag]Kyoji Horiguchi[/autotag] now that they’re once again fighting under the same banner.
Dodson (23-13) made a statement in his Rizin FF debut at Saturday’s Rizin FF vs. Bellator event in Japan. The 38-year-old knocked out veteran Hideo Tokoro in less than two minutes into their flyweight bout.
Dodson is hoping to fight Horiguchi next, as it’s a bout he was promised long ago.
“I’ve been trying to fight Horiguchi for the last two years,” Dodson told reporters at the post-fight press conference. “When I got released from the UFC, they gave me Horiguchi as a future opponent coming into Rizin, but then the borders were shut down (due to the pandemic), and they wouldn’t let me come over here.
“Then he got signed to Bellator, so it’s been like a back-and-forth thing. I’ve been waiting for my opportunity to really test my abilities against the former champion of Rizin. I want to be the champion, and he has to be my stepping stone to become it.”
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Horiguchi is one of the most successful fighters in Japanese MMA history. He knows he’s likely not going to be the fan favorite going into a potential showdown with the ATT standout, but that doesn’t bother Dodson one bit.
“I don’t care, I can be the villain of any story,” Dodson said. “But at the same time I’m going to come out the hero.”
The win over Tokoro was Dodson’s second MMA fight and second MMA victory of 2022.
“The Magician” was coming off a unanimous decision win over Francisco Rivera back in April at XMMA 4: Black Magic. Dodson also competed in bareknuckle boxing this year, knocking out Ryan Benoit at BKFC 28 in August. Dodson is currently 2-1 in MMA since his departure from the UFC in 2020.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Rizin FF 40: Rizin vs. Bellator.
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Two-time UFC title challenger John Dodson scored a vicious knockout of Hideo Tokoro in his Rizin FF debut.
[autotag]John Dodson[/autotag] sure made a good first impression with the Japanese fan base.
Two-time UFC title challenger Dodson scored a vicious knockout in his Rizin FF debut at Saturday’s Rizin FF vs. Bellator event in Japan. Dodson (23-13) put the lights out on veteran [autotag]Hideo Tokoro[/autotag] (35-32-1) in their flyweight bout on the preliminary card of the event. The official stoppage came at the 1:43 minute mark of Round 1.
The event took place at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, near Tokyo. The main card airs on Showtime via tape delay at 8 p.m. ET.
You can watch Dodson’s KO win in the video below:
— @jakeshreds420 (@shredsclips) December 31, 2022
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This was Dodson’s second MMA fight and second MMA win of 2022. The 38-year-old was coming off a unanimous decision win over Francisco Rivera back in April at XMMA 4: Black Magic. Dodson also competed in bareknuckle boxing this year, knocking out Ryan Benoit at BKFC 28 in August.
Dodson is currently 2-1 in MMA since his departure from the UFC in 2020.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Rizin FF 40: Rizin vs. Bellator.
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John Dodson is very much looking forward to soccer kicks and head stomps.
[autotag]John Dodson[/autotag] can’t wait to head stomp and soccer kick people in the face – legally.
The former UFC title challenger is giddy to the thought that a whole new arsenal has opened up for him now fighting under Rizin FF banner in Japan. Dodson (22-13) signed a multi-fight deal with the promotion and is set to make his debut on Saturday against Hideo Tokoro (35–31–2) at Rizin 40 in Saitama Super Arena, just outside Tokyo.
The shift in promotions comes with many new changes – a new audience, new opportunities, and more importantly for Dodson, a new rule set.
Under Rizin FF rules, fighters are allowed to knee and kick their opponent’s head while they’re on the ground. This is something that has Dodson over the moon.
“They can expect a whole new level of John Dodson because of the fact that I get to implement the rules that I’ve been using on the streets without legal laws,” Dodson told reporters on Thursday in Japan. “I can head-stomp, soccer kick somebody in the face, and knee them on the ground.
“Oh, I’ve been doing this since I was a kid and I get to do it for real as an adult and I don’t get to go to jail. Yeah. Let’s go.
“It’s going to be nothing but mayhem and chaos in the cage or ring, whatever you want to throw me into, as long as I can go ahead and see the man when he’s down. He better be prepared to duck, cover, and try to get back to his feet.”
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Although Dodson plans on delivering damage to Tokoro, he actually has a profound level of respect for the 45-year-old Japanese star.
“He actually fought all seven weight classes and the fact that he’s one of the legends in the sport,” Dodson said. “I know that he helped pioneer through everything and made sure of being a spectacle in the heavyweight division. Also, being a bantamweight grand prix champion in Dream as well. I look up to the guy, but since he’s standing in my way, I have to make way for one person, and that’s me.”
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for Rizin FF 40: Rizin vs. Bellator.
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Check out which UFC veterans impressed outside of MMA competition in 2022.
Throughout the year, we have seen a number of UFC veterans compete in other combat sports across the world.
Since MMA encompasses a variety of martial arts, it is always interesting when MMA fighters who have competed on the largest stage try their hand at a specific combat sports discipline.
From bareknuckle boxing, traditional gloved boxing, to mixed rules contests, these UFC vets turned in impressive performances outside of MMA competition.
Scroll below to see who got our attention away from the cage in 2022 with impressive wins.
