Sherdog’s Top 10: Non Pay-Per-View Main Events

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8. Demetrious Johnson vs. John Dodson
UFC on Fox 6 | Jan. 26, 2013 -- Chicago
Fox
The UFC introduced the flyweight division in 2012 with a four-man tournament, but not everyone appreciated the type of action the little guys brought to the Octagon. When Johnson squared off with Joseph Benavidez to decide the promotion’s inaugural 125-pound king at UFC 152, the bout drew its fair share of boos, much to the chagrin of UFC President Dana White.

Recognizing that the flyweight brand needed more of a push, the UFC booked Johnson against Dodson as the main event for its sixth offering on Fox. The promotion wisely made UFC on Fox 6 its most stacked card on the network yet, surrounding the pairing with marquee stars such as Quinton Jackson, Anthony Pettis and Donald Cerrone.

At the end of the night, there might have been a few more flyweight converts, as “Mighty Mouse” cemented himself as champion with a unanimous decision victory over the Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts representative. Dodson tested Johnson with his power early, rocking his foe with big left hands in both the first and second rounds.

“I got dazed a little bit, but I’m in great shape,” Johnson said. “[Getting hit is] going to happen. It’s like going swimming. You’re going to get splashed.”

The conditioning of the AMC Pankration product paid off as the contest progressed. Johnson scored takedowns in every round, continued to push the pace and punished “The Magician” in the Thai plum in the championship periods. It was yet another example of how closely contested bouts in the UFC’s smallest weight class can be, and the masses tuned in: UFC on Fox 6 ratings surpassed figures for the previous three installments on the network.

Number 7 » Jackson vs. Henderson