One in all Demetrious Johnson’s title challengers thinks he’d snatch Alexandre Pantoja’s UFC belt.
Business is booming within the BKFC. The world’s fastest-growing combat sports promotion announced 4 brand latest tournaments at Thursday’s ‘Champions Summit’ press conference, including a $25M open-weight tournament and 4 ex-UFC signings.
BKFC has been consistent in booking title fights, with an interim flyweight championship between Gee Perez and Andrew Strode co-headlining BKFC 78 on Saturday in Hollywood, FL.
The title stakes got here as a surprise to John Dodson, the reigning BKFC flyweight champion who’s undefeated across five fights within the Squared Circle.
Years ago, Dodson was top-of-the-line fighters within the lighter weight divisions, having almost beaten then-champion and all-time great Demetrious Johnson of their first fight in 2013.
Nearly five years faraway from his last UFC fight against current bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili in 2020, Dodson still thinks he can hold his own in MMA against the best possible on the earth.
John Dodson nonchalantly says he’d knock out UFC champ Alexandre Pantoja
When asked if he still watches the UFC, Dodson said:
“Well, I can go ahead and knock out [Alexandre] Pantoja,” Dodson told MMA Junkie’s Danny Segura.
Pantoja recently notched his fourth-straight title defense at UFC 317 with a flawless submission win over Kai Kara-France. Alexandre Pantoja is riding an 8-fight win streak and is ranked #5 within the UFC’s pound-for-pound rankings.
The submission artist has never been knocked out or submitted in his 35-fight profession.
Still, Dodson is confident he can clear Pantoja or his next title challenger, #1 contender Joshua Van.
“That Joshua Van guy, I guarantee you, they wanna discuss anyone who has incredible knockout power… my Filipino power can knock out his Filipino power.”
The 23-year-old Van is 15-2 as a professional and is coming off the most important win of his profession over former title challenger Brandon Royval at UFC 317.
“That door can at all times be reopened,” the BKFC champ said of a possible UFC comeback.
“I just gotta go ahead and secure my victories, return out here, put dominant performances in BKFC, after which also return to Japan and go settle what’s on the market, too.”
John Dodson reacts to ‘silly’ interim title being created while he’s ‘energetic’ champion
By tomorrow night, there can be two flyweight champions within the BKFC.
The winner of Gee Perez vs. Andrew Strode at BKFC 78 will arrange a title unification bout with Dodson within the near future.
Dodson, whose last title defense was a draw greater than a 12 months ago, hasn’t fought in BKFC since. Dodson fought Takaki Soya twice under the RIZIN banner in Japan within the time removed.
BKFC boss David Feldman has made it clear how he feels about his champions fighting for other promotions, stripping lightweight champion Franco Tenaglia for taking an MMA fight.
As for Dodson, it looks like BKFC went the alternate route in crowning an interim champion as a substitute of stripping him.
“To start with, I feel that’s silly that they make an interim title that I’m an energetic champion,” Dodson said on the BKFC press conference on Thursday.
“Like, I’m waiting to fight anybody,” Dodson continued.
“I asked to fight each the blokes which are fighting for the title. I’ll go ahead and get the winner…”