Former UFC flyweight title challenger John Dodson set for July MMA return

John Dodson is set to compete for the first time since his UFC departure.

A former UFC flyweight title challenger, Dodson (21-12) will return July 30 at XMMA 2, which takes place at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville, S.C. His opponent is expected to be another former UFC fighter, Cody Gibson (16-7).

Two people with knowledge of the matchup informed MMA Junkie of the booking but asked to remain anonymous as the promotion has yet to make an official announcement.

Dodson, 36, parted ways with the promotion in September on the tails of three losses in four fights. “The Ultimate Fighter,” Season 14 bantamweight winner, Dodson finished out his 17-fight UFC tenure with a 10-7 promotional record.

Gibson, 33, competed four times in the UFC from 2014-2015. He compiled a 1-3 record. Since his promotional departure, Gibson has gone 4-1 fighting for promotions such as LFA and Tachi Palace Fights.

No additional fights for XMMA 2 are known at this time. The blossoming promotion held its first show Jan. 30. It streamed live and free on YouTube and featured numerous MMA notables including James Vick, Francisco Rivera, Kyle Bochniak, and Olympian-turned-MMA-debutant Mahmoud Sebie.