DALLAS – It wasn’t the most exciting clash in UFC history, but Jimmie Rivera (22-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) rebounded from defeat by taking a decision from John Dodson (20-10 MMA, 9-5 UFC).

The bantamweight bout was part of the main card of today’s UFC 228 event at American Airlines Center in Dallas. It aired on pay-per-view following prelims on FX and UFC Fight Pass.

Rivera opened the action with a few thumping kicks to the lead leg before slipping a flurry of punches in reply. Rivera continued to target the lead leg from range, but he also slipped in a few straight punches up top, as well. Dodson tried to utilize his speed to move inside, but Rivera was always able to pull away without absorbing much damage. The crowd got a bit restless at time, with the striking proving a bit of a stalemate in spots, but both men stayed disciplined in their approach.

Dodson looked a little more lively to open the second, but his rushing advances were ineffective. Rivera stayed patient, wary of his opponent’s counters and refusing to offer an easy opening. The crowd didn’t approve of the approach, but Rivera stayed true to the plan. A Dodson kick to the body landed clean, but he struggled to get any consistent offense going. A Rivera low kick drew a complaint from Dodson that it landed low, but the timeout was brief.

On the restart, Dodson again landed with a few kicks to the body, but the crowd loudly voiced its displeasure at the bell.

Both men came out punching in the third, and it was Rivera who landed first. A low kick shortly after also briefly swept Dodson to the floor, though he popped back up in quick fashion. The crowd continued to voice its displeasure, but neither man was able to really turn the tide. Dodson’s punches largely missed, and Rivera was successful at times on the feet but was always conscious of the impending return fire. It proved a frustrating combination for both men, who did rattle off a flurry in the closing seconds. In the end, Rivera took home a decision win, 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.

Up-to-the-minute UFC 228 results include:

• Jimmie Rivera def. John Dodson via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
• Abdul Razak Alhassan def. Niko Price via knockout (punches) – Round 1, 0:43
• Tatiana Suarez def. Carla Esparza via TKO (strikes) – Round 3, 4:33
• Aljamain Sterling def. Cody Stamann via submission (kneebar) – Round 2, 3:42
• Geoff Neal def. Frank Camacho via knockout (high kick) – Round 2, 1:23
• Darren Stewart def. Charles Byrd via TKO (punches) – Round 2, 2:17
• Diego Sanchez def. Craig White via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
• Jim Miller def. Alex White via submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 1, 1:29
• Irene Aldana def. Lucie Pudilova via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
• Jarred Brooks def. Roberto Sanchez via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)

For complete coverage of UFC 228, check out the UFC Events section of the site.