The UFC’s debut in Albuquerque has officially added some home town flavor to the card with Jackson’s Mixed Martial Artist John “The Magician” Dodson (15-6) meeting fellow former Flyweight title challenger John Moraga (14-2). The promotional also has added that Moraga’s MMA Lab teammate Yaotzin Meza (20-9) will tangle with fellow Bantamweight, Roufussport’s Sergio “The Phenom” Pettis (10-1).
Dodson and Moraga are no strangers to each other having met in December of 2010 at Nemesis Fighting – MMA Global Invasion in the Dominican Republic, that saw Dodson claim a unanimous decision victory.
That win was the last for Dodson before entering the TUF house. Dodson would go on to become the TUF 14 Bantamweight winner, after knocking out TJ Dillashaw. “The Magician” is coming off of a 1st round knock out of Darrell Montague bouncing back from a unanimous decision loss Demetrious Johnson in a Flyweight title bout.
After the loss to Dodson, Moraga won 5 in a row to earn his invitation to the UFC. Moraga ran his streak all the way to 7 with a knock out of Ulysses Gomez and submission of Chris Cariaso to earn a title that; he would lose by submission to still champion Demetrious Johnson. Moraga has since bounce back to get his hand raised in a split decision with Dustin Ortiz.
Both Pettis and Meza will be looking to rebound from losses, Pettis having been submitted by Alex Caceres and Meza losing by unanimous decision to Chico Camus; both at UFC on Fox 10.
UFC Fight Night Albuquerque will be on June 7 at the Tingley Coliseum; headlined by former UFC Lightweight champion Benson “Smooth” Henderson against Rustam “Tiger” Khabilov.
