UFC Fight Night 108: John Dodson out-speeds Eddie Wineland in slow-paced fight

Lightning-fast bantamweights John Dodson and Eddie Wineland met in the cage tonight, (Sat., April 22, 2017) at UFC Fight Night 108 live on FOX Sports 1 from inside Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

Wineland entered the fight on a two-fight win streak, while John Dodson was looking to bounce back from a very close decision loss to John Lineker.

There was no glove touch. Dodson threw a body kick as both fighters took short steps, circling and feinting. Dodson threw another body kick, then ate a counter after an outside leg kick. Winelands slipped a left straight by Dodson but missed on the counter. Dodson ducked and threw an overhand to the chest, Wineland missing on the counter. Another Dodson rear straight connected to the solar plexus of Wineland. Wineland switched stances, looking for an opening. Dodson caught Wineland with a flurry. The crowd began to boo, restless with the slow pace. Dodson’s speed had Wineland tentative. They traded for a moment, with nothing decisive landing. Wineland jabbed to the body. Dodson connected on a left hand, Wineland’s counter again just off target as the round came to an end.

Wineland worked his jab to begin the second round. Dodson countered Wineland’s rear hand with a one-two, tagging the taller man. Wineland connected on a rear straight. Dodson laughed at something, drawing a smile out of Wineland. Dodson stutter-stepped into a kick but ate a Wineland right straight. Dodson timed another left hand. Wineland slapped with his left hook but Dodson avoided the follow-up right hand. Dodson got Wineland ducking into a head kick, which Wineland caught and dumped him for a split second, but didn’t attempt to follow up. Dodson landed a body kick up the middle. Dodson superman punched his way forward and followed up with a flurry that connected on Wineland’s chin. Wineland finally threw a body kick. Wineland feinted his way in and finally connected on a right hand, but without much on it. The horn sounded and the fighters touched gloves.

Wineland was feinting quite a bit to start round three. Dodson got aggressive and Wineland finally landed a counter. Wineland just whiffed on an overhand right. Dodson feinted in again, and Wineland again landed a right hand counter. Dodson looked for a body kick that Wineland circled away from. Wineland moved in and Dodson countered with three straight left hands, connecting hard on two of them. Dodson sprinted after Wineland with left hands, Wineland circling out well. Wineland caught a body kick but did nothing with it. Wineland had cuts on both sides of his face. Dodson landed a teep to the body as Wineland switched stances in front of him. Wineland hit a left hook. Despite turning up the pressure, Wineland was unable to connect with anything meaningful in the final seconds. The crowd booed as the bell sounded to end the fight.

In typical John Dodson fashion, he backflips right before his post-fight interview, praises Eddie Wineland to the crowd, and tells the bantamweight division to stop saying no to fighting him. A happy night for “the Magician”.

Official result: John Dodson def. Eddie Wineland via unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27x2)

For complete UFC Fight Night 108 results and coverage click here.