• UFC

Dodson first up for Johnson

Demetrious Johnson beat Joseph Benavidez to take the title in September © Getty Images

Enlarge

Related Links

• News: Guida drops to featherweight to face Hioki
  
• News: Rampage's farewell fight with Teixeira confirmed
  

Flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson will make his first title defence on January 26 against top contender John Dodson, UFC announced on Tuesday night on FUEL TV.

Johnson and Dodson headline UFC on Fox 6, which also will feature a highly anticipated lightweight title elimination bout between Donald Cerrone and Anthony Pettis. The event will be held at United Center in Chicago.

Johnson (16-2-1) became the first UFC 125-pound champion on September 22, when he defeated Joseph Benavidez by split decision in Toronto.

Dodson (14-5) returned to flyweight competition on May 5 -- five months after winning "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 14 as a bantamweight.

He earned the flyweight title shot on October 5 with a second-round TKO of Jussier Formiga.

Pettis and Cerrone have been engaged in an ongoing war of words for several months. In August, Cerrone accused Pettis of avoiding him.

But the former WEC 155-pound champion has not fought since February 26 -- a first-round knockout of Joe Lauzon - because of injuries.

Pettis and his handlers revealed on October 16 that he sprained a shoulder during a training session. Several months earlier, he had undergone shoulder surgery.

Pettis (15-2) was admitted into a Milwaukee-area hospital on October 22 with cellulitis, a skin infection, in his elbow.

Cerrone (19-4, one no-contest) secured his spot in the title eliminator on August 11 with a first-round knockout of Melvin Guillard.

It is highly likely that Quinton 'Rampage' Jackson and Glover Teixeira will meet on the same card. There has been no word from UFC on the subject, but Jackson posted on Twitter on Tuesday that a deal has been struck.

This article first appeared on ESPN.com

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.