UFC 187 Date: May 23, 2015 Arena: MGM Grand Garden Arena City: Las Vegas, NV Flyweight bout: John Dodson (-450) vs Zach Makovsky (+360) Fight Breakdown: Headlining the UFC 187 prelinary card on FOX Sports 1 will be a flyweight contest that will determine the number one contender for the division’s title, and action is expected when Jackson-Winklejohn-trained John “The Magician” Dodson returns from an extended injury layoff to take on former Bellator Bantamweight Champion, Zach “Fun Size” Makovsky. Dodson is a -450 ($450 to win $100) favorite heading into the contest, with Makovsky being a +360 ($100 to win $360) underdog at Several Bookmakerss. John “The Magician” Dodson (16-6 MMA, 5-1 UFC) last saw action nearly a year ago at UFC Fight Night 46, where he defeated John Moraga via TKO (doctor stoppage) to go 2-0 since his failed bid at the UFC’s 125-pound gold. Now following the extended injury layoff, he hopes to pick up a win over “Fun Size” and get a second crack at the title. Dodson is a talented striker with great footwork and greater speed, being arguably the fastest fighter on the UFC’s roster. He is also arguably the most powerful flyweight in all of Mixed Martial Arts, especially now that John Lineker is no longer part of the division. “The Magician” has a hard straight-right, puts together some very effective combinations on the feet, and is a very good counter-striker, especially with his counter-hooks. He has phenomenal athleticism and a solid chin. He has excellent takedown defense, and when takedown, he does a great job of quickly working his way back to his feet. He is the only fighter to defeat current UFC Bantamweight Champion TJ Dillashaw, and he did so via first round knockout to become The Ultimate Fighter Season 14 bantamweight winner. Of course, he has since dropped down to his natural weight class of 125-pounds. Training in high-altitude out of Jackson-Winklejohn MMA in Albuquerque, NM, Dodson has great conditioning, though, that was not exactly the case when it came to a five round fight against Johnson. While still in the fight, he was not nearly as quick as he was early on in the fight. That said, I believe he will have made improvements in that area, come time for his next five round bout. Zach “Fun Size” Makovsky (19-5 MMA, 3-1 UFC) bounced back into the win column with a unanimous decision victory over Tim Elliott at UFC Fight Night 60 just three months ago, and he is hopeful that by making it two in a row with a win over Dodson, he will get the next shot at Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson and his Championship gold. “Fun Size” is a talented, former NCAA Division I wrestler who works solid takedowns. He prefers the single leg, which is his go-to, and he often likes to shoot for them from the outside. He works well with trip takedowns too, and is a great scrambler. Makovsky is an excellent grappler and his submission game is also very good, as he spends time training with the legendary Marcelo Garcia, one of the best Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts on the planet. His defensive grappling is solid as well. He has good takedown defense, and if taken down, he is very active off of his back, threatening with submissions. The former Bellator bantamweight champion shows improvement in his striking from fight to fight. He has a good chin and works a decent jab. He throws decent kicks, too, and he likes to go high with them. He will have the advantage in wrestling headed into this contest, however he will be at a distadvantage on the feet, as Dodson is not only the superior striker, but also the faster athlete of the two. Gabe’s Call: Dodson by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Gabe’s Thoughts: I think Dodson keeps this fight on the feet and either puts Makovsky away early, or takes it on the judges’ scorecards following three rounds of action. I see his speed and hands being his key’s to victory, though, I could also see him catching Makovsky with some sort of flying-knee type of attack. Gabe’s Recommended Parlay: Dodson (-450), Cerrone (-500) and Browne (-450) at -127 for 3.85u to win 3.05u
