John Dodson
Active 2011–present · rated in 3 editions · peak overall 82.0
Scouting report
John "The Magician" Dodson won The Ultimate Fighter Season 14 and challenged Demetrious Johnson twice for the flyweight title. Training out of Albuquerque, New Mexico with Jackson-Wink MMA, Dodson built his game around left-cross hand speed and takedown defense, reflected in an 86 Boxing and 86 Cardio.
Peak ratings
By edition
After winning The Ultimate Fighter 14 at bantamweight, Dodson dropped to flyweight in 2012, finishing Jussier Formiga at UFC on FX 5 in Minneapolis. In January 2013, he challenged Demetrious Johnson at UFC on Fox 6, scoring knockdowns before losing a decision. He knocked out Darrell Montague in round one at 4:13 at UFC 166 in Houston. His hand speed, left cross, and power-punch threat are reflected in his 86 Boxing and 84 Durability.
In 2014, Dodson finished John Moraga via doctor stoppage at UFC Fight Night 42 in Albuquerque. Following a knee-injury layoff, he returned in May 2015 to defeat Zach Makovsky by decision before dropping a title rematch to Demetrious Johnson at UFC 191 in Las Vegas. His counter-punching, combination exits, and takedown defense are reflected in an 86 Boxing and 80 Wrestling.
Dodson moved between divisions in 2016 and 2017, stopping Manny Gamburyan at UFC on Fox 19 before dropping split decisions to John Lineker and Marlon Moraes. His hand combinations and durability against top-ten contenders are reflected in an 86 Boxing and 84 Durability across this stretch.
John Dodson and the fastest hands in the division
John Dodson, nicknamed The Magician, won The Ultimate Fighter 14 at bantamweight and then dropped to flyweight, where his speed stood out even more. He challenged Demetrious Johnson for the title in Johnson's first defense, winning the early rounds before Johnson took over and won a decision. He stayed a contender for years. He is an explosive pick with a clear identity.
Dodson attribute by attribute
Boxing. His calling card. Explosive, fast, with tremendous timing on counters.
Kickboxing. Reasonable. He mixes kicks with his hands but is not a kickboxing specialist.
Wrestling. Decent. He can defend takedowns and shoot when he needs to.
BJJ. The lowest area. He is not a grappling threat on the mat.
Strength. Powerful for the division, particularly in the hands.
Durability. Good. He took heavy shots across many fights.
Cardio. Very solid. His explosiveness lasted through a five-round title fight, though Johnson took the final three rounds.
Fight IQ. Decent. He reads counters well but can be predictable.
The card that wins: Boxing
Boxing carries Dodson. His hands are fast enough that a single exchange can change a fight, and he showed against Johnson that he could win rounds standing with the best. His speed is also a defensive asset, since opponents have to respect the counter.
The glaring gap: BJJ
On the ground he is far weaker than on his feet. A grappler who can take him down will make him uncomfortable. If your board leans toward wrestlers, cover this slot.
Keep exploring
Closest flyweight profiles to John Dodson, measured by how near their peak attribute ratings sit across all eight categories.
- Cody Garbrandtbest boxing 88 · weakest bjj 72
- Kai Kara-Francebest boxing 89 · weakest bjj 72
- Ali Bagautinovbest wrestling 84 · weakest strength 75
- Dustin Ortizbest cardio 86 · weakest strength 73
- Flyweight division guide: how the whole division rates and who to draft from it.
- Grappling vs striking in the draft: a guide that fits John Dodson's strongest attribute, Boxing.
Draft John Dodson into your build
John Dodson enters the pool on any spin landing on flyweight between 2010 and 2017. Spin, draft eight attributes, then simulate 25 fights.
Ratings shown are my own estimates, made with AI assistance and informed by how John Dodson is regarded by the MMA community. They are unofficial and do not constitute an assessment of John Dodson's real-world abilities. How the ratings are made. See the disclaimer below. Ratings and write-ups by Haaris A. Last reviewed 2026-09-30; spot an error? Tell us. Read our editorial standards.