UFC fighter John Dodson on being Pinoy, cooking lumpia, fighting in Manila

Filipino-American mixed martial arts fighter John Dodson was in Manila this past week to announce the second UFC Fight Night Manila to be held on October 15 at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

For Dodson, a flight to the Philippines meant discovering his roots. GMA News Online sat down with the former UFC flyweight title challenger to know more about his career, Filipino upbringing and what it would mean to him to fight in the country.

GMA News Online: As a kid growing up, what are the Filipino traits that your mom taught you?

John Dodson: My mom would always sit there and point with her lips making sure that it was a sign of a moment that I need to go to a certain direction. I had to take the time in learning cooking all of our foods. I had to make sure I learn how to make pansit, adobo, we always make sinigang all the time at my house. 

My grandmother made sure I spent every hour making close to five thousand lumpias that we can go ahead and give to the people. That's a lot of lumpia we had to roll and give out to people. It's not even to sit there and make a profit, she just wanted to be nice and give it out to neighbors, to friends. It's a very kind thing to know and more of a blessing because that kind of generosity passes down and carries on for what you do. And I think that just shows what Filipinos are. They're very kind hearted people, warm and embracive, and they're never too shy to make sure that they also help out their fellow people.

GNO: So what do you think of the Philippines so far since you got here?

JD: I felt an instant connection the moment I got off the plane. It's like a welcome home and I look [forward] to returning back and being here.

GNO: How did you get yourself into fighting and what made you take up mixed martial arts?

JD: Fighting is a way of life, everybody fights. Right now you're probably fighting with another competitor to see who asks a better question. Everybody with what they do, we all try to be the best at it. So for me, fighting is a natural thing. It's the next step for me to go ahead and do and see where I stand. Do I stand at the bottom of this ever changing sport or do I stay at the top and be the best and the baddest man everybody sees me as?

GNO: How old were you when you started training and what was the first discipline you learned? 

JD: When I started training the first thing I knew how to do was wrestling. I came to this sport as a newbie, wanted to learn jiu-jitsu as its own and how it progressed. I've learned the different traits of Jiu Jitsu before I translated to doing boxing and muay thai. I perfected jiu-jitsu first then I actually became a better boxer and better at muay thai.

GNO: There's a thing about Filipinos being very passionate about fighting and their fighters. What would it mean to you to get to fight here on October and perhaps even headline the upcoming event? 

JD: If I get to headline the event here in Manila it would be kind of surreal, it would be the best thing, the best thing for my career. And I'm not saying it because it could make me splash in my division, no, it would be the best thing because I'll get to show the UFC what a true Filipino hero can do. Like I can sit there thinking that I could be the next Manny Pacquiao for the MMA world. That [thought] alone, kinda starts sending chills up and down my spine and puts it all more into my heart.

GNO: Since you mentioned Manny Pacquiao, the nation is in search for a new face in fighting since he announced his retirement. With Filipinos being very passionate about boxing and MMA, do you see yourself as the next flag bearer of the Philippines when it comes to fighting?

JD: Well, I'm not the next, I've already been doing it. On my Reebok fighter kit the country that I represent is the Philippines. In my last fight when I fought Manny Gamburyan, on the tale of the tape, I have the Filipino flag on my banner versus the USA.

GNO: And how does your mother feel about that, knowing that you represent her home country in the UFC?

JD: She tries to steal all my clothes! You think I'm kidding? No! Right now I fear for all of my UFC fight gear because my mom says she's going to break into my house and steal it! (Laughing) She's gonna be the thief in the night, she's gonna be that burglar to steal all my stuff and it's not gonna be jewels or a TV, she's going to steal the things that mean the most to her. So anything that is Filipino she's going to take, she wants all my stuff! 

GNO: Let's talk about about your career. You've been through a lot of excellent fights, twice with Demetrious Johnson and a stoppage win over TJ Dillashaw. Now that you're back in the bantamweight division, how do you see yourself doing in this weight class and what are your thoughts about a potential showdown with the UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz?

JD: Well me fighting Dominick Cruz would be between two movement artists. Cruz moves so well evading shots and I move so well in making those shots count, and when they do count, they hurt. I've seen so many people bend to my will and the only person who has not, just yet, is Demetrious Johnson. So I will go out there and fight Cruz, move around to see what he does, evade shots so I'll be the one to secure those shots and knock him out. 

GNO: There's been a lot of talks about a potential fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor. You as a professional MMA fighter, do you think such fight could help improve the sport of MMA or actually hurt it?

JD: It can improve the sport. Just look at the fact that Holly Holm came from such a rich boxing history, former boxing world champion, then came out and destroyed Ronda Rousey in her own sport. Rousey is a mixed martial artist then a boxer crossed over to our realm. Well, we should be able do the same thing, we should have our best go out there and box with their best. I think it will work.

GNO: What do you think are the things that must be done in terms of improving local talent in MMA? More specifically their ground game? 

JD: I did watch one bout that you guys had. He was doing so well on his feet but once he got taken down, he didn't know [what to do] it was like a fish out of water. I think what they need to learn is how to wrestle. Doesn't matter if it's sambo, judo, grab somebody that has a strong wrestling background, do a seminar out here and have them teach in one of the gyms here then they can pass it on. All you need is about two people to gravitate towards that one person to be able to pass it along to the rest of the country. Have one person go out and learn from someone else or bring somebody in. Bring somebody here so that they could have them spend a solid month of just nothing but hardcore training and I can guarantee you that they can move from inches to miles in the MMA game.

GNO: Any advice for all the aspiring MMA fighters and even for those professionals who want to make it to the UFC?

JD: Make sure you're highlighting the best you ever. It means having higher standards for yourself that inspires other people. Show why everybody needs to follow you. There are millions of great fighters in the world, but you got to stand above the rest with not only your fighting ability but the person that you are inside and outside the octagon. 

JM Siasat is a sportswriter, co-anchor of Fight News Hour on Sports Radio 918khz, a former amateur boxer, and a student of the sweet science. The resident combat sports correspondent for GMA News Online, follow @jmsiasat on Twitter or email him at jmsiasat@ymail.com.