UFC on FOX 3 Results: What We Learned from John Dodson vs. Tim Elliott

In his first fight since winning The Ultimate Fighter 14, John Dodson was able to squeak past Tim Elliot to secure a decision victory at UFC on FOX 3.

Dodson used his speed and his insane takedown defense to frustrate the very game Elliot, and despite an injured left hand in the later half of the fight he was able to do enough to win.

The win pushes Dodson to the top of the flyweight division, while Elliot also looked impressive enough that he could be a fighter to watch in the future.

What We’ll Remember About This Fight

It wasn’t a flawless flyweight debut for Dodson, but he did enough to win the first couple of rounds to earn the decision.

Both men put on a show for the fans, throwing a ton of crazy strikes and fighting at an absolutely grueling pace, but it was Dodson that was able to counter strike and use Elliot’s aggressiveness against him.

The fight was one of the most fun that fans will get to see all night, and it proved the flyweight division is one of the most exciting in MMA.

What We Learned About Dodson

The winner of TUF 14 looked like a title contender for the majority of the bout against Elliot.

Dodson worked his counter striking to keep Elliot at bay and used his takedown defense just as well, keeping the fight where he wanted it.

The last round was a rough five minutes for Dodson, but he toughed it out despite an injured left hand and won the fight.

What We Learned About Elliot

Elliot was a sizable underdog going into this one, but he proved he belonged in the same cage as one of the best flyweights in the UFC.

While he threw a variety of exciting techniques, including a couple of cartwheel kicks and spinning backfists, Elliot was unable to land anything significant for the first few rounds and it ended up losing him the fight.

If Elliot is able to keep fighting like he did against Dodson, he could be a future contender in the newly created flyweight division.

What’s Next for Dodson

There aren’t many guys near the top of the flyweight division right now, so if Dodson is injured he may be better off recovering and fighting the loser of the upcoming Demetrious Johnson-Ian McCall fight.

What’s Next for Elliot

It was an impressive debut despite the loss for Elliot, and with the flyweight division currently in its growing stages it won’t take much to get back into the top of the division.

A matchup with another loser from tonight’s card, John Lineker, would make a ton of sense.