A key bantamweight bout has been added to UFC Nashville. Former two-time flyweight title challenger John Dodson will face the resurgent Eddie Wineland at the April event, which is headlined by a featherweight bout between Cub Swanson and Artem Lobov. The UFC confirmed the addition of Dodson vs. Wineland Tuesday.
Dodson (18-8) made his debut in the UFC in the bantamweight division, winning The Ultimate Fighter 14 bantamweight tournament against future 135lb champ T.J. Dillashaw back in 2011. However, once in the UFC proper he dropped down to flyweight, becoming one of the top challengers to long-time champ Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson. Having fallen to Johnson twice, Dodson ventured back up to 135lbs — but has had mixed results, picking up a quick knockout of Manvel Gamburyan before losing a split decision to John Lineker last October at UFC Fight Night 96.
Eddie Wineland (23–11–1), who fought for the interim bantamweight championship against Renan Barao at UFC 165 back in 2013, is coming off a strong showing last year that saw him go 2-0 in the UFC bantamweight division. It was a bounceback year for Wineland, who stopped both Frankie Saenz and Takeya Mizugaki.
UFC Nashville, also known as UFC Fight Night 108, takes place April 22, 2017 at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, TN.
