The world of combat sports thrives on bold predictions and confident declarations, and reigning BKFC flyweight champion John Dodson recently delivered a statement that certainly fits the mold. The veteran fighter, who previously carved out a significant career in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, believes that even years after his departure from the Octagon, he possesses the skills to defeat the current cream of the UFC flyweight crop, including champion Alexandre Pantoja and top contender Joshua Van.
Dodson, known for his explosive speed and knockout power, is no stranger to the UFC`s flyweight division summit. “The Magician” twice contended for the UFC flyweight title against the legendary Demetrious Johnson, coming remarkably close to capturing the belt in their initial 2013 encounter. His last appearance in the UFC was in 2020, against the now-bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili.
Despite the time elapsed, Dodson maintains a high level of confidence in his mixed martial arts capabilities. When questioned about his view of the current UFC flyweight landscape, he offered a concise and assertive prediction:
“Well, I can go ahead and knock out [Alexandre] Pantoja,” Dodson stated in a recent interview.
This claim is particularly notable considering the stature of Alexandre Pantoja. The current UFC flyweight champion is on an impressive eight-fight win streak and recently secured his fourth title defense with a dominant performance. Pantoja, a high-level submission artist, has never been knocked out in his 35-fight professional career, a statistic Dodson`s assertion directly challenges.
Dodson`s confidence extends beyond the champion. He also believes he can dispatch the division`s likely next title challenger, Joshua Van.
“That Joshua Van guy,” Dodson continued, addressing the highly-regarded 23-year-old contender, “I guarantee you, they wanna talk about somebody who has incredible knockout power… my Filipino power can knock out his Filipino power.”
It seems `The Magician` is ready to pit not just striking power, but also national heritage, against the division`s elite.
While Dodson`s immediate focus remains on his bare-knuckle boxing career, he indicated that the possibility of a return to mixed martial arts and the UFC is not out of the question. “That door can always be reopened,” he commented, outlining a potential path back. “I just gotta go ahead and secure my victories, go back out here, put dominant performances in BKFC, and then also go back to Japan and go settle what’s out there, too.” This refers to his recent activity under the RIZIN banner in Japan.
Navigating the BKFC Waters: The Interim Title Situation
Coincidentally, Dodson`s reflections on a potential UFC future arrive while he`s managing a curious situation in his current promotion, BKFC. Despite being the reigning and, in his view, “active” flyweight champion, BKFC recently announced the creation of an interim flyweight title, much to Dodson`s visible frustration.
“First of all, I think that’s stupid that they make an interim title that I’m an active champion,” Dodson frankly remarked during a press conference.
Dodson`s definition of “active,” however, appears to differ slightly from the promotion`s perspective. He hasn`t competed in BKFC in over a year, with his last title defense ending in a draw. During this period of bare-knuckle inactivity, he participated in two mixed martial arts bouts in Japan`s RIZIN promotion. This situation is particularly noteworthy given BKFC`s stance on its champions competing elsewhere; the promotion recently stripped lightweight champion Franco Tenaglia for taking an MMA fight. While Dodson avoided being stripped, the creation of an interim belt serves as a clear signal from the promotion regarding the importance of activity *within* BKFC.
Despite his grievances concerning the interim title`s existence, Dodson affirmed his intention to face the winner of the upcoming interim bout, aiming to unify the belts and solidify his position in BKFC before potentially exploring other avenues, including the UFC, where he believes he can still dethrone the best.
