Combat sports: Dodson cashes in
Sep. 19—Thanks to his immense popularity and name recognition in the Albuquerque-area combat-sports community, John "The Magician" Dodson was paid $75,000 — almost twice as much as the two main-event fighters made combined — for his fight on the Aug. 28 Bare Knuckle Fighting Championship card at the Rio Rancho Events Center.
He didn't let the BKFC down, scoring a first-round knockout of Ryan Benoit that night. It was Dodson's bare-knuckle debut. He's 22-13 as an MMA fighter, having fought twice for the UFC flyweight title.
Benoit, also an MMA veteran, was paid $20,000.
As first reported by mmajunkie.com, the New Mexico Athletic Commission released the payouts for all the participants on the BKFC card.
Unlike the UFC, the BKFC does not award win bonuses, performance bonuses or fight-of-the-night bonuses — or at least, if it does, they are not disclosed. What the NMAC released were the payouts as per filed contracts.
Californian Christine Ferea, who defeated South Carolina's Taylor Starling by first-round TKO in the Aug. 28 main event, was paid $22,500. Starling took home $20,000.
It was clear that local reputation and potential drawing power had value. Next-highest on the list were longtime Albuquerque MMA fighters Isaac Vallie-Flagg ($9,000) and Donald Sanchez ($7,500).
Vallie-Flagg (16-7-1 MMA, 3-2 bare-knuckle) lost by by unanimous decision to Brad Kelly, who was paid $5,000.
Sanchez (30-20 MMA, 0-1 bare-knuckle) lost by unanimous decision to Jeremy Smith, who was paid $4,000.
Albuquerque's Jayme Hinshaw (4-4 MMA, 1-0 bare-knuckle) was paid $5,000 for her victory by first-round TKO over Cassie Robb.
Dodson's younger brother, Eric, was paid $2,500 for his first-round KO of Nick Villar.
One would hope John picked up the check the next time the Dodson brothers had dinner together.
Athletic commission Executive Director Richard Espinoza said paid attendance at the BKFC event was 2,491 with a paid gate of $182,250 — less money by some $30,000 than the BKFC paid out to the fighters.
But, Espinoza said, the BKFC was pleased with the event from a competitive standpoint and liked the enthusiasm of the crowd.
The BKFC also derives income from its own subscription streaming service.
NM GOES 0-2-1 IN UTAH: Bosque Farms boxer Katherine Lindenmuth (2-1) suffered the first defeat of her still-embryonic pro career Saturday night, losing by majority decision to Las Vegas, Nevada's Yadira Bustillos at Saltair Arena in Salt Lake City.
Two judges scored the six-round light flyweight (108-pound) bout a shutout — 60-54 for Bustillos (6-0). A third judge scored it a draw, 57-57.
Albuquerque light heavyweight Lorenzo Benavidez (3-5-1, one knockout) lost by unanimous six-round decision to Damarian Kelly (5-4, three KOs) of Casper, Wyoming.
Nonetheless, Benavidez happily celebrated his 25th birthday in Salt Lake City on Sunday.
Based on previous records, Bosque Farms heavyweight Manuel Eastman looked to be a prohibitive underdog against undefeated Salt Lake City-area fighter Bishop Le'i.
Eastman, however, fought Le'i to a draw. All three judges scored the four-round bout 38-38. Eastman is now 3-7-2 (one KO), Le'i 3-0-1 (three KOs).
