AJ Dobson now can get past his ‘really, really dark place’ after UFC on ESPN 51 win
LAS VEGAS – AJ Dobson beat Tafon Nchukwi with a unanimous decision Saturday on the main card at UFC on ESPN 51 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Take a look inside the fight with Dobson, who got his first UFC win after decision losses in his first two fights in the promotion.
AJ Dobson vs. Tafon Nchukwi
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Result: AJ Dobson def. Tafon Nchukwi via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Updated records: Dobson (7-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC), Nchukwi (6-4 MMA, 2-4 UFC)
Key stats: Dobson won the striking battle 98-59 and landed a pair of takedowns that helped lead to nearly five minutes of control time.
Dobson on the fight's key moment
“I knew he was going to be technically sound. I knew his leg kicks were going to be heavy. He comes from a really good camp, so I knew that his game plan would be good. I was just prepared for the best Tafon. … I felt a lot more light (than last time). I felt a lot more driven. I felt a lot more confident because I put in the work. That last camp, I was kind of doing it on my own. This time, I had the proper structure, proper training camp, and it paid off.”
Dobson on his struggles with an 0-2 UFC start
“I’m feeling on top of the world. This win took 10 years of hard work, dedication, sacrificing, missing holidays, missing time with my siblings, my family … this one – you know, I really needed this one. And I’m really enjoying it right now. I bumped my head the first two fights. I was kind of counted out, and it just took me in a really, really dark place. I had a lot of people turn on me – a lot of fake friends exposed. I’m just so happy that I finally came out on top.”
Dobson on what he wants next
“I’m going to relax for a little bit and then I would love to get on my teammate Stipe (Miocic’s) card in November (at UFC 295). That’d be a dream come true for a kid like me. So hopefully that’s next. If not, no problem – whatever the UFC wants to do, I’m just happy to be here. I’m happy to show my skills and I’m happy to show that I belong.
“I know who would be really good: (Makhmud Muradov). He’s super scary, super skilled, big. That’d be a fight that would get me up at night, get me up early. That would get me training as much as I could. That would be a really exciting fight. That guy is a stud. He’s super talented, and I’d love to test my skills against him.”
To hear more from Dobson, check out the video of the full post-fight interview above.
For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC on ESPN 51.
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