Issue 065

August 2010

John ‘The Magician’ Dodson is a 125lb fighter who has truly earned his nickname; in his case, flying around the cage to attack and then disappearing from in front of his opponents. Dodson trains out of Team Jackson-Winklejohn, where he teaches intermediate jiu-jitsu and MMA classes. 

Where are you right now? 

At my house in Albuquerque, New Mexico. I’ve been training all day ever since my last fight, and helping everyone else get ready to fight.  

What is the hardest you’ve ever hit someone? 

I don’t have an answer – every time I hit somebody they usually go down. I’m not an aggressive person, so don’t know when I hit somebody the hardest. To me, fighting is so much fun that punching and getting hit is what I like to do.  

You had Pat Runez stunned in the second round of your recent UWC title fight. 

I really thought the fight was over in that second round, because I thought I knocked him out and was gunning for it. I thought it was going to be ended so I put everything I had into that last few minutes. I can’t say nothing bad about that because he came back strong and started fighting his game plan. 

You hit hard for a flyweight. How would you describe the rest of the weight class? 

To me they are the most exciting, technical fights I’ve ever seen. It is always high-energy, not like anything you have ever seen before. I’m a high-flying, acrobatic guy, so there is always something spectacular.  

Is that where you would say your nickname ‘The Magician’ comes from? 

Yes – I’m an elusive fighter and always entertaining. I do what nobody expects to happen so I fly up in the air to kick somebody, get out of situations and submissions no man has ever escaped from – pull a rabbit out of my hat!  

What is it like competing at flyweight at this point in time? 

It is actually kind of cool. I used to have to fight higher because that is what they wanted so I went with it, but now that 125lb is more developed in the United States it is helping out tremendously. Out of 18 fights I fought three times at featherweight and maybe five times at flyweight. What people don’t understand is there are a lot of 125lb’ers here, they just don’t want to create a weight class for us yet. I’ve seen a lot of us taken to Japan, Guam, Panama, Brazil and Mexico. 

Can a fighter make a living fighting at 125lb? 

It is very hard. We don’t make as much as other fighters, but I’m not making $5000 like in the WEC.  

What about the competition? 

I fought in Japan – Urushitani, who is a tremendous athlete. The few I have fought have been top-notch guys. 

Pat Runez is thought to be the best flyweight in the US. What are your thoughts on a rematch? 

I’d like to fight him again because we had such a close battle. One of those things I know in my heart: I should have won that fight.  

Fighting out of such a team, to what degree do you feel successful? 

For me I feel success every time I see one of my teammates win, because I am helping them out and pushing them. Melvin Guillard is one of those people I helped out a lot, because he was fighting left-handed people like Aaron Riley, beating the crap out of him for three rounds.  

Is it accurate to say Greg Jackson comes up with the game plan and Mike Winklejohn trains the stand-up? Or does Mike play a bigger role in your fights? 

Actually Greg has been dealing with the guys in the UFC, so Mike Winklejohn has been helping me make a different type of game plan. Another gentleman is Chris Lattrell, our strength and conditioning coach here.  

How do you want to be remembered as a fighter? 

I want my name to be written in the stars and not washed away in the sand.  

Sounds poetic. Did you make that up? 

Yes, that is my life quote right there.

John Dodson spoke with Keith Mills.