Filipino-American John “The Magician” Dodson may be just five feet, three inches tall but with his speed and power can combat the bigger fighters in the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s bantamweight division.
The Ultimate Fighter Season 14 Bantamweight winner and former number one contender for the UFC Flyweight Championship disposed of Armenian fighter Manny Gamburyan in just 37 seconds Sunday morning (Manila time) during the preliminary fights of UFC on Fox: Teixeira vs. Evans held at the Amalie Arena in Tampa, Florida, USA.
“Of course, everybody knows my motto that speed kills and it killed tonight,” The Magician said.
True to his words, the Fil-Am immediately commanded the cage in the early-goings in forcing his opponent to circle around the cage. After a set-up coming from a leg kick by the 31 year old, the Jackson’s MMA standout found an opening and quickly connected with two left straights and an uppercut that knocked down the Armenian. Five seconds later, Dodson landed at least 12 fast uppercuts, all lefts, that called for the stoppage.
Just like that!!! It's over!! The speed of @JohnDodsonMMA is crazy!! #UFCTampa https://t.co/7UUSh1RlOu
— UFC Europe (@UFCEurope) April 16, 2016
With the win, Dodson is looking to stay at the bantamweight division because of the rigorous effects weight-cutting takes on his body. “Well I cut from 160 pounds down to go down to flyweight so it made more sense to move to 135 since a lot of 135ers are doing that,” he said. “That weight-cut is killing me right now.”
However, the three-time performance of the night winner would only go back down to 125 for one opponent. “If I go back to 125 and face Demetrious Johnson, seeing that you don’t have a challenger right now, I’d be more than welcome to come back down there for you,” Dodson shared.
If that fight is not granted by the UFC brass, Dodson confidently added that he is throwing his name in the mix for the wide-open UFC Bantamweight championship ladder. “Why are you saying wide-open? You’re looking at the new champion,” he confidently closed to the delight of the Tampa crowd. “The entire division is just strong, fast guys and I want to make sure to submit my name on that hat for that title.”
“Remember this little knockout power here, I’ll keep on going at it.”
With the win, John “The Magician” Dodson goes up to 19-7 while Gamburyan falls to 18-10-1.
Result: John Dodson def. Manny Gamburyan by TKO (punches) (37 seconds, round 1)
Photo from UFC’s official Facebook page
