John Dodson is Now a Free Agent, Door Isn’t Closed on UFC Return

John Dodson is free to explore options with other mixed martial arts promotions.

Last month, Dodson fought in the last bout under his Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) deal. He defeated Pedro Munhoz via split decision. The two-time flyweight title challenger made $82,000 including a $41,000 win bonus in salary for the fight.

“The Magician” was hoping for a better deal, but apparently he didn’t like the new offer. Ariel Helwani reports that Dodson and the UFC couldn’t come to terms on a new contract. This leaves the door open for Dodson to speak with officials from other promotions. It’s important to note that the door hasn’t been shut on a new UFC deal.

Here is Helwani’s tweet:

Free agent John Dodson met with UFC officials recently. They didn’t come to terms on a new deal at the time and he’s now free to shop around. Door isn’t closed on a UFC return at all, but he’s currently exploring options, sources say.

— Ariel Helwani (@arielhelwani) April 25, 2018

Dodson has gone 3-3 in his last six outings. His losses were to Demetrious Johnson, John Lineker, and Marlon Moraes. While he was no match for Johnson in their rematch, Dodson’s losses to Lineker and Moraes were via split decision. Some even believe Dodson should’ve won both fights.

Up to this point, Dodson has garnered a professional mixed martial arts record of 20-9. He’s earned nine wins by knockout and two by submission. That puts his finishing rate at 55 percent. Under the UFC banner, he’s finished five opponents in nine victories.

Dodson earned his spot on the UFC roster by winning “The Ultimate Fighter” season 14 bantamweight tournament. “The Magician” knocked out T.J. Dillashaw in the first round. Dillashaw has since become a two-time bantamweight champion.

Back in Jan. 2013, Dodson challenged Johnson for the UFC flyweight championship. While Dodson had his moments, it wasn’t enough to dethrone “Mighty Mouse” and he fell short via unanimous decision. Their second encounter took place in Sept. 2015 and it wasn’t nearly as competitive. Johnson was too fast and “The Magician” had no answer. The rematch also ended in a unanimous decision victory for Johnson.