Demetrious Johnson’s most intriguing potential flyweight foe is on the shelf until sometime next year.
John Dodson underwent anterior cruciate ligament surgery on Wednesday, FOXSports.com reported. While surgery was a success for the Jackson’s MMA fighter, he’s going to be out at least 6-8 months before he can go all out in the gym again and could be out of action as long as a year.
Dodson (16-6) has won seven of his past eight fights and is 5-1 in the UFC. His only loss during that span was to Johnson, the current flyweight champion.
But since then, Dodson has finished both Darrell Montague and John Moraga. And with Johnson all but cleaning out 125 pounds, Dodson was looked at for a rematch. Dodson gave Johnson the toughest challenge of his two-year title reign at UFC on FOX 6, before Johnson won a unanimous decision in a fight which turned on an illegal Johnson knee midway through the bout.
The rematch is on hold, though, as Dodson rehabs a nagging injury which has plagued him for more than a year.
“I was messing with Demetrious Johnson and I really, really, really want to beat this dude up,” he told FOXSports.com. ” I want that title. I was gearing for it and getting ready for this fight.”