John Dodson Has Permanently Closed the Door on Ever Returning to Flyweight

John Dodson is a bantamweight for now and forever.

Over the past couple of weeks, Dodson has been bombarded with messages about his interest in potentially returning to 125 pounds to challenge for the title now that Henry Cejudo is champion.

Dodson had twice previously challenged former champion Demetrious Johnson and likely came closer to taking the title away from him than any other fighter prior to Cejudo’s performance at UFC 227.

As much as it might interest him to fight for the flyweight title again, Dodson says he’s physically impossible for him to cut down to 125 pounds again after suffering through several brutal weight cuts in the past.

“Flyweight is done. I can’t really make it anymore,” Dodson said ahead of his next fight at UFC 228. “My kidneys are shot. It’s a poor decision if I do go back down there, mainly because Henry [Cejudo] is champion and it’s a vacant title now. But it just makes it so much harder to go out there and cut that weight after I put on that size to go up a weight class.

“So yeah there’s no way.”

Dodson says he appreciates that so many fans like the idea of returning to flyweight to challenge Cejudo for the belt but he’s just not capable of making that cut any longer without doing irreparable harm to his body.

Even attempting to cut down to 125 pounds just isn’t worth the damage it would do so Dodson is focused on making his mark at bantamweight now.

“I take it as a compliment that they see me as one of the greater [fighters] at flyweight, other than Demetrious Johnson,” Dodson said. “Granted I never held the title but it’s a huge compliment.

“It just sucks because now that I have an opportunity to do it, I can’t even do it at all.”

Dodson will make his return to action — at 135 pounds — when he faces Jimmie Rivera at UFC 228 in Dallas on Sept. 8.