A bantamweight fight featuring perennial division contenders John Dodson and Jimmie Rivera took place on tonight’s UFC 228 main card from Dallas, Texas.
John Dodson (20-9 MMA) enters tonight’s contest having alternated wins and losses over his past six bouts. Dodson’s most recent appearance came at March’s UFC 222 event in Las Vegas where he earned a split-decision victory over Pedro Munhoz.
Meanwhile, Jimmie Rivera (21-2 MMA) will be looking to rebound after having his twenty-fight win streak snapped in brutal fashion by Marlon Moraes this past June in Utica. (Watch that finish here)
Round one begins and Rivera takes the center of the octagon and lands a pair of leg kicks. Dodson fires back with one of his own. Both men appear tentative early. Rivera throws a body kick but Dodson catches it and presses him up against the cage. Rivera breaks free and then rattles off a low kick. Jimmie with a nice left hand. Both fighters with low kicks now. Rivera lands another. That one was hard but Dodson smiles. Jimmie shoots in for a takedown but it is not there. Dodson misses with a head kick and then eats a jab. Rivera follows that punch up with a low kick that lands flush. Jimmie with a body shot and then another. He looks just as fast as Dodson early on here. Rivera with a left hand and then a low kick. He is winning this round. Dodson leaps in with a right hand that partially connects. Rivera lands a nice left hook and then a right hand over the top to end round one.
Round two begins and Rivera starts out quickly. He clearly wants to get back in the win column tonight at UFC 228. He lands a left hand and then a hard low kick. Dodson fires off a combination but nothing lands clean. Rivera fires back but has similar luck. Jimmie with a kick that is caught by Dodson who lands a left hand. Rivera breaks free and then comes forward with a jab. Dodson ducks a punch and then lands a nice kick to the body. Both men land left hands. Rivera loads up on a low kick and it ends up catching Dodson in the groin. We break so that John can recover. We restart and Rivera comes forward with a head kick which is blocked. Rivera with a jab but Dodson avoids and circles out. John takes the center of the octagon and lands a jab to the body followed by a kick to the same area. Rivera circles but runs right into another body kick. The horn sounds to end round two.
Round three begins and Rivera lands a low kick. He follows that up with a body kick and then a stiff jab. Dodson attempts to fire back but Rivera avoids and then lands a jab to the body. Dodson circles along the outside. Rivera is finally able to cut him off and land a jab to the body. Dodson comes back with a right hand over the top. Less than three minutes to go now. Rivera is putting on the pressure but Dodson won’t engage in the pocket. He continues to circle along the outside. Rivera lands a hard inside low kick. He presses forward with punches. The fighters clinch up and then break in order to throw some punches for the final few seconds. Dodson goes to the body and Rivera lands some shots up top before the horn sounds to end round three. This UFC 228 fight is over.
Jimmie Rivera defeats John Dodson (30-27 x2, 29-28)