John Dodson, who won season 18 of The Ultimate Fighter as a bantamweight, will return to the weight class on April 16th for a showdown with Manny Gamburyan at UFC on FOX 19 in Tampa, Florida.
Two-time UFC flyweight title challenger John Dodson has his first opponent in his return to bantamweight. Dodson will fight Manny Gamburyan at UFC on FOX 19 on April 16th at Tampa, Florida’s Amelie Arena. The Albuquerque Journal reported the booking on Tuesday.
Dodson (17-7) won The Ultimate Fighter with a knockout win over T.J. Dillashaw in the bantamweight final back in 2011, but he dropped to the UFC’s flyweight division when it formed in 2012. After beating Tim Elliott and Jussier Formiga, Dodson earned a title shot vs. Demetrious Johnson in 2013, which he lost in a close but competitive decision. After winning three straight, he earned a rematch against the champ at UFC 191. The one-sided loss to Mighty Mouse prompted “The Magician” to return to 135.
Gamburyan (15-8, 1 NC) has been at bantamweight for just two fights, but he’s managed victories in both of his outings. The former WEC featherweight title challenger and TUF 5 (lightweight) alum submitted Cody Gibson at UFC 178, then earned a unanimous decision over Scott Jorgensen last July.
UFC on FOX 19 is headlined by a #1 contender’s matchup at lightweight between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson.