TLDR
- John Dodson returns to BKFC after 31 months to challenge bantamweight champion Jamel Herring on Saturday in Newark
- The 42-year-old signed a new three-fight deal with BKFC and still holds the flyweight title
- Dodson’s layoff resulted from contract negotiations, declining Albuquerque event attendance, and flyweight division uncertainty
- Herring is a former WBO boxing champion with a 2-0 BKFC record and holds a seven-inch height advantage
- BKFC 95 takes place Saturday at Prudential Center with coverage starting at 8 p.m. ET on DAZN
Sources: middleeasy.com | abqjournal.com | fightbookmma.com
Albuquerque’s John Dodson will step back into the BKFC ring Saturday night for the first time in 31 months when he challenges bantamweight champion Jamel Herring at BKFC 95 in Newark, New Jersey. The fight marks Dodson’s return under a new three-fight contract with the promotion.
Dodson last competed in a BKFC bout on March 29, 2024, when he fought to a five-round draw against Dagoberto Aguero at Tingley Coliseum in Albuquerque. That result allowed him to retain his BKFC flyweight title, which he still officially holds.
The Magician is back and he’s coming to make another belt disappear 🎩✨
John Dodson moves up to 135 for champ vs. champ with Jamel Herring THIS SATURDAY! 😮💨#BKFC95 | Saturday | Tix on sale NOW at https://t.co/BslIovWFLz pic.twitter.com/kZNLRhbPh8
— Bare Knuckle FC (@bareknucklefc) October 12, 2026
Why the Long Wait?
The extended absence from BKFC competition has left Dodson frustrated and eager to prove himself. “I’m gonna go out there and take his title, and show everyone I’m one of the most dangerous people that’s ever been pissed off,” Dodson said in a phone interview Tuesday.
According to Dodson’s agent Ricky Kottenstette, three factors contributed to the layoff: BKFC’s reduced interest in Albuquerque as an event location, uncertainty about the flyweight division’s future, and communication breakdowns between the fighter and promotion. The organization wanted to renegotiate Dodson’s contract after attendance at New Mexico events declined from record-setting numbers in 2022-23.
Dodson competed in two bare-knuckle and MMA fights in Japan during his BKFC absence. He defeated Takaki Soya by decision in a bare-knuckle bout in late 2024, then lost to Soya by decision in an MMA fight in May 2025.
The 42-year-old Dodson brings a 4-0-1 BKFC record and 3-0-1 overall bare-knuckle record into Saturday’s bantamweight title challenge. He captured the BKFC flyweight championship with a first-round TKO of J.R. Ridge on August 11, 2023.
Facing a Boxing Champion
Herring, 40, earned his BKFC bantamweight title through unanimous decision victories over Matt Guymon and Michael Larrimore. The Cincinnati native is a former WBO junior lightweight boxing champion who lost that title to Shakur Stevenson in 2021.
BKFC lists Herring’s bare-knuckle record at 2-0, though he brings extensive gloved boxing experience to the matchup. Both fighters are southpaws, but Herring holds a significant height advantage at 5-foot-10 compared to Dodson’s 5-foot-3.
Dodson believes his MMA background gives him an edge over Herring’s boxing-focused skill set. “His boxing mentality and, actually, all his boxing habits become a large amount of cues to go in and pick him apart,” Dodson said. “He hasn’t been in with a well-trained martial artist like myself.”
The former UFC title challenger says he doesn’t know if he’ll ever defend his flyweight title again. “As for right now, my whole focus is to go ahead and destroy (Herring),” he stated.
The BKFC 95 co-main event features former UFC fighter Jimmie Rivera against Brandon Meyer in a welterweight bout. Other scheduled fights include Santo Curatolo vs. Anthony Yost, Mike Medrano vs. Rob Emerson, Phil Caracappa vs. Cole Cameron, and Gabriele Roman vs. Brooke Evans.
The event takes place Saturday at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Free coverage begins at 8 p.m. ET with the main card starting at 9 p.m. ET on DAZN subscription service.
