John Dodson on the shelf six to seven weeks following broken hand at UFC on FOX 3

Despite his eagerness to get back into the cage and compete, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) flyweight contender John Dodson is taking a little vacation.

Not by choice, mind you.

"The Magician" pulled a broken hand out of his hat during his UFC on FOX 3 victory over Tim Elliott last Saturday night (May 5, 2012) at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, NJ.

As Dodson explains to MMA Weekly, the result is a six to seven week medical timeout.

"It happened in the first round. I re-watched it. It happened at like two minutes, 24 seconds into the fight, and I hit him with that overhand left and I tried to double up on it with two punches. I couldn’t make a fist anymore. I was trying to make a fist in my glove and it wasn’t working out too well. I even told Greg (Jackson) after the first, ‘I think I broke my hand.’ He goes, ‘punch him with it,’ and I was like 'cool.' I was trying to throw it, but it was a very sharp reminder, a very sharp painful reminder not to throw it. I already saw the doctor. They said I’m out for about six or seven weeks and I’ll be good."

Dodson (13-5) claimed The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 14 "six-figure contract," laying waste to Brandon Merkt, John Albert and Johnny Bedford. That set up a showdown against T.J. Dillashaw in last December's live finale, which he won in devastating fashion.

Now that he's claimed his first victory at 125 pounds, how long before he's knocking on the door of a title shot?