Tag: Grant Dawson

UFC 311 news: Grant Dawson vs. Diego Ferreira added to January pay-per-view

A lightweight banger between Grant Dawson and Diego Ferreira has been added to the UFC 311 event in Los Angeles.

Another fun matchup in the lightweight division has been added to UFC 311 in January.

On Jan. 18 at Intuit Dome in Los Angeles, USA TODAY SPORTS/MMA Junkie-ranked lightweight No. 8 Grant Dawson will meet Diego Ferreira in the first pay-per-view of 2025. The news was first reported by Fight Bananas. Both camps have publicly shared the matchup on social media, and MMA Junkie also confirmed the booking with a source familiar with the booking.

Dawson (22-2-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC) will enter the contest on a two-fight winning streak, with both wins coming in 2024. His most recent fight was a second-round TKO stoppage of Rafa Garcia in October, which came after a unanimous decision win over Joe Solecki in June.

Ferreira (19-5 MMA, 10-5 UFC) also has won back-to-back fights, although the judges were not needed for either victory. In May 2023, Ferreira knocked out Michael Johnson in the second round and followed that up with a third-round TKO of Mateusz Rebecki. Both finishes earned $50,000 Performance of the Night bonuses.

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With the addition, the UFC 311 lineup includes:

  • Jailton Almeida vs. Serghei Spivac
  • Grant Dawson vs. Diego Ferreira
  • Muin Gafurov vs. Rinya Nakamura
  • Bogdan Guskov vs. Johnny Walker
  • Ailin Perez vs. Karol Rosa
  • Sedriques Dumas vs. Zach Reese
  • Raoni Barcelos vs. Payton Talbott
  • Bernardo Sopaj vs. Ricky Turcios

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 311.

‘Problem solver’ Grant Dawson wants ranked opponent or Drakkar Klose after TKO win at UFC Fight Night 244

Victorious at UFC Fight Night 244, Grant Dawson hopes to get a ranked opponent for his next UFC bout.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] wants to get back in the UFC official rankings, and he hopes to do so by beating someone on that list.

Dawson (13-2-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC) was briefly ranked prior to his quick KO loss to Bobby Green in October 2023, but since has picked up two consecutive wins. Saturday, Dawson became the first to stop Rafa Garcia (16-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) and put him away in a violent TKO on the main card of UFC Fight Night 244.

The American Top Team product hopes to get a ranked opponent next or a bout against [autotag]Drakkar Klose[/autotag].

“In the top 15, I’m actually not sure because the guys that make sense are booked and the guys that don’t make sense are apparently fighting for a world title in other weight classes for some reason,” Dawson said at the UFC Fight Night 244 post-fight press conference. “You’ve got (Rafael Dos Anjos) in there – and nobody is a bigger fan of RDA than me, I’ve been watching that dude since I was a child. I’m a big fan of his. He should not be in the rankings at 155. He’s fighting at 170, he’s fought at 170, and he’s openly said he’s not fighting at 155 anymore. Get him out of there and put me in.

“If I don’t get a top-15 fight next, the guy that makes most sense to me would be Drakkar Klose. I have two losses in my professional career, and he’s beaten both of them. That would be a fight that would really prove to people how much better I’ve gotten.”

As far as the performance on Saturday, Dawson was happy with what he was able to display. He thought he would have a much tougher time dealing with Garcia, but that wasn’t the case.

“That was the game plan, but through the entire fight camp everyone that had trained with him or seen him, I had people messaging me, ‘This guy has really good takedown defense. This guy is strong. This guy is so hard to take down. He is so difficult to get down,'” Dawson said. “Even the UFC was saying that this guy has really good takedown defense and Grant might get pushed here. I come in with the mindset that I might not be able to take this guy down. I think what separates me from the rest of the division is that I don’t get discouraged. I’m a problem solver.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

UFC Fight Night 244 Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay: Brad Tavares gets $21,000 in record bout

UFC Fight Night 244 fighters took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay, a program that continued after the UFC’s deal with Venum.

LAS VEGAS – Fighters from Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 244 event took home UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance pay totaling $186,000.

The program, a comprehensive plan that includes outfitting requirements, media obligations and other items under the fighter code of conduct, replaces the previous payments made under the UFC Athlete Outfitting Policy.

UFC Fight Night 244 took place at the UFC Apex. The card aired on ESPN and streamed on ESPN+.

The full UFC Fight Night 244 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts included:

* * * *

[autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]JunYong Park[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Brad Tavares[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Chidi Njokuani[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jared Gooden[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Rafa Garcia[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Daniel Rodriguez[/autotag]: $11,000
def. [autotag]Alex Morono[/autotag]: $21,000

[autotag]Ramazan Temirov[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]CJ Vergara[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Pat Sabatini[/autotag]: $6,000
def. [autotag]Jonathan Pearce[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Themba Gorimbo[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Niko Price[/autotag]: $16,000

[autotag]Junior Tafa[/autotag]: $4,500
def. [autotag]Sean Sharaf[/autotag]: $4,000

[autotag]Julia Polastri[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Cory McKenna[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Cody Haddon[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Dan Argueta[/autotag]: $6,000

[autotag]Clayton Carpenter[/autotag]: $4,000
def. [autotag]Lucas Rocha[/autotag]: $4,000

Under the UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance program’s payout tiers, which appropriate the money generated by Venum’s multi-year sponsorship with the UFC, fighters are paid based on their total number of UFC bouts, as well as Zuffa-era WEC fights (January 2007 and later) and Zuffa-era Strikeforce bouts (April 2011 and later). Fighters with 1-3 bouts receive $4,000 per appearance; 4-5 bouts get $4,630; 6-10 bouts get $6,000; 11-15 bouts earn $11,000; 16-20 bouts pocket $16,000; and 21 bouts and more get $21,000. Additionally, champions earn $32,000 while title challengers get $42,000.

In addition to experience-based pay, UFC fighters will receive in perpetuity royalty payments amounting to 20-63 percent of any UFC merchandise sold that bears their likeness, according to officials.

Full 2024 UFC Promotional Guidelines Compliance payouts:

Year-to-date total: $6,488,500
2023 total: $8,188,000
2022 total: $8,351,500
2021 total: $6,167,500
Program-to-date total: $29,225,500

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

UFC Fight Night 244 bonuses: Grant Dawson makes wife’s badunkadunk co-star, but won’t go home with extra $50K

The UFC handed out four bonuses, but a lightweight who promised a title run and had a memorable mic moment was left out.

The UFC handed out four bonuses after Saturday’s card, but a lightweight who promised a title run, [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag], was left out of the mix.

Despite a brutal TKO finish on the main card and a bootylicious moment when he thanked his wife for her support – and “a dump truck you could bounce a quarter off of” – Dawson got no extra check for the mic-drop moment with his wife covering her face cageside.

After UFC Fight Night 244, four fighters picked up an extra $50,000 for their performances in Las Vegas. Check out the winners below.

Performance of the Night: Clayton Carpenter

Clayton Carpenter def. Lucas Rocha, UFC Fight Night 244

Clayton Carpenter def. Lucas Rocha via technical submission (rear-naked choke) – Round 2, 2:12

[autotag]Clayton Carpenter[/autotag] (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) was fighting about 20 months after his UFC debut win, but it was evident his game plan was to take the fight to the canvas to outwork Lucas Rocha (17-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) on the canvas. After he cut him open in the first round and controlled him on the mat, he took him down again in the second and deftly locked in a rear-naked choke that put the Brazilian to sleep without a tap.

Performance of the Night: Ramazan Temirov

Ramazonbek Temirov def. CJ Vergara, UFC Fight Night 244

Ramazonbek Temirov def. CJ Vergara via TKO (punches) – Round 1, 2:50

The UFC’s flyweights might have a new problem on their hands in Uzbekistan’s [autotag]Ramazan Temirov[/autotag] (18-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC). He stormed out in a hurry against CJ Vergara (12-6-1 MMA, 3-4 UFC) and stayed on him for as long as the fight lasted, which was just past the halfway mark when he put him away, mercifully.

Fight of the Night: Brandon Royval def. Tatsuro Taira

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – OCTOBER 12: (L-R) Brandon Royval punches Tatsuro Taira of Japan in a flyweight fight during the UFC Fight Night event at UFC APEX on October 12, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC)

Brandon Royval def. Tatsuro Taira via split decision (48-47, 47-48, 48-47)

In a flyweight instant classic, [autotag]Brandon Royval[/autotag] (17-7 MMA, 7-3 UFC) and [autotag]Tatsuro Taira[/autotag] (16-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) truly went back and forth for 25 minutes with regular momentum shifts. But a late takedown for Royval in the fifth and several close submission attempts down the stretch may have sealed the deal for the recent title challenger to hand Taira the first loss of his career. Royval said afterward Taira is a future flyweight champion and he wants to help him get there. He wants another title shot next.

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UFC Fight Night 244 video: Grant Dawson bloodies Rafa Garcia for TKO, promises to be champ

Grant Dawson thrashed Rafa Garcia at UFC Fight Night 244 then made promises of future championship greatness.

No one can accuse [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] of being cautious with his grappling approach after a brutal beatdown of Rafa Garcia at UFC Fight Night 244.

Dawson (22-2-1 MMA, 10-1-1 UFC) added another win to this stellar octagon record when he used his wrestling to put Garcia (16-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) on the mat. A big elbow from top position opened up a nasty cut, and the American Top Team product poured on strikes until the referee stepped in for the TKO stoppage at the 1:42 mark of Round 2.

Check out the replay of Dawson’s handiwork in the video below (via X):

Dawson has now won back-to-back fights after suffering his sole UFC defeat in a 33-second knockout to King Green in October 2023. The 30-year-old said this is just the start after the triumphant performance.

“It’s a testament I’ve been doing to all the great work I’ve been doing in the best gym in the world at American Top Team,” Dawson said in his post-fight interview with Michael Bisping. “I am better than everybody in this division gives me credit for, and I will be a world champion one day.”

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Up-to-the-minute UFC Fight Night 244 results include:

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

Grant Dawson vs. Rafa Garcia prediction, pick, start time for UFC Fight Night 244

Will Grant Dawson continue his climb up the lightweight ladder by getting past Rafa Garcia at UFC Fight Night 244?

[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] and [autotag]Rafa Garcia[/autotag] meet Saturday on the main card of UFC Fight Night 244 at UFC Apex in Las Vegas. Check out this quick breakdown of the matchup from MMA Junkie analyst Dan Tom. 

Last event: 3-2
UFC main cards, 2024: 84-74-3

Grant Dawson vs. Rafa Garcia UFC Fight Night 244 preview

Dawson (12-2-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) aims to regain the momentum lost two fights ago when he suffered his first UFC defeat at the hands of Bobby Green. Before that, Dawson went 12 fights without a loss in an impressive stretch. In his first fight of the year, Dawson returned to the win column with a decision win over Joe Solecki in June. … Garcia (16-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) enters his first fight of 2024 and will look to make it three wins in a row. He enters on the heels of a pair of unanimous decision wins against Maheshate and Clay Guida.

Grant Dawson vs. Rafa Garcia UFC Fight Night 244 expert pick, prediction

Filling out the main card is a lightweight attraction between Dawson and Garcia.

Although I feel like this fight will play out closer than the odds indicate, I agree with Dawson being favored to win.

Aside from possessing the statistical advantages that MMA bettors base their mortgage-breaking decisions on, Dawson is the more effective wrestler with a more focused process.

For that reason, I give him the edge against a fighter like Garcia, who is basically your standard wrestler-boxer who lacks strong finishing potency.

I can see Garcia having a solid start or finish to this fight, but I’ll ultimately be siding with Dawson to get it done on the scorecards by decision.

Grant Dawson vs. Rafa Garcia UFC Fight Night 244 odds

The oddsmakers and the public heavily favor the American fighter, listing Dawson -420 and Garcia +310 via FanDuel. 

Grant Dawson vs. Rafa Garcia UFC Fight Night 244 start time, how to watch

Dawson and Garcia are expected to walk to the cage at approximately 8:05 p.m. ET (5:05 p.m. PT). The fight will stream on ESPN+.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

Grant Dawson laments ‘absolutely insane’ betting line vs. Rafa Garcia at UFC Fight Night 244

Grant Dawson is the biggest betting favorite at UFC Fight Night 244 on Saturday.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] is the biggest betting favorite at UFC Fight Night 244 on Saturday.

And while that typically might be a badge of honor heading into a fight for a fighter, Dawson (12-2-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) wishes the MMA collective would pump the brakes a bit on his roughly 4-1 favorite status against Rafa Garcia (16-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) at the UFC Apex.

“I think he’s a very, very tough opponent, and not to put myself down or anything like that – I think the betting line is absolutely insane,” Dawson said at Wednesday’s media day. “I think he’s a lot better than the betting line is showing, which kind of sucks. If I go out there and dominate him, it doesn’t look good for me. And if I go out there and have a close fight, I just beat a really, really good guy – and I don’t even get the credit for beating a really good guy that way (because of the odds).”

And while Dawson surmised Garcia’s 18-month layoff, which included a knee surgery, is playing a part in making him the card’s biggest underdog, he also knows his own major success is a big factor.

“I think people know how good I am. I think people are underestimating how good he is,” he said.

Dawson is fighting just a year past what stands as his only UFC loss – a 33-second knockout against Bobby Green. It was one of 2023’s biggest stunners and his first loss in more than seven years.

The lightweight thinks that put a big crimp in his plans to become a UFC champion, but he’s left with no choice but to work his way back to contention, where he was knocking on the door when Green stunned him.

“I want to be a world champion, and I totally get that exciting guys get to skip that line,” Dawson said. “But there’s a lot of really exciting guys that never got the belt because they lose fights they shouldn’t. It’s a game of inches in this sport. It is a game of inches, and if you make one mistake … We saw it against Bobby Green. I made one mistake and he made me pay for it. It set my career back probably two, three years, and I’ve got to fight my way back now.”

After his loss to Green, he bounced back in June this year with a decision win over Joe Solecki. He thought the next name might be someone he could use to make his claim for spot in the rankings, but he hopes he might find himself in the top 15 next week, anyway.

“I was thinking that my next fight was going to be in the top 15, but I definitely think that this is a segue into the top 15,” Dawson said. “I wouldn’t be surprised if on Monday I was ranked after beating Garcia. I think he’s top-15 worthy.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

UFC Fight Night 244’s Grant Dawson won’t ‘give up being dominant to be a bit more exciting’

Grant Dawson takes umbrage with people labelling him as boring.

[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] takes umbrage with people labelling him as boring.

Dawson (21-2-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) takes on Rafa Garcia (15-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) in a lightweight bout at UFC Fight Night 244 Oct. 12 from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Outside from a 33-second upset knockout loss to King Green in the UFC Fight Night 229 headliner last October, Dawson is unbeaten in the UFC. Not only is he unbeaten, but he’s been able to use his wrestling to dominate plenty of his opposition – most recently Joe Solecki at UFC 302 in June.

Despite his prowess on the ground, Dawson hasn’t gained the popularity as a surging lightweight like he would have wished.

“I’m trying to be more exciting, I really am,” Dawson told MMA Junkie Radio. “It’s just I’m so dominant on the ground, it’s so easy for me to take people down, ride them out, get the choke, land lots of punches, make my percentage of top time even farther away from everybody else in the division than it already is.

“It’s so easy for me to do that. It’s hard for me to be, like, in a fight: Somebody’s throwing leather at my face, and me be like, ‘Nah, I’m not going to take them down, the fans want to see me knock him out.’ I’m fighting for my life in there. I’m fighting for my wife to not have to go back to work. It’s hard for me not to take somebody down when I know I can do it.”

Dawson says if UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev can become a fan favorite with an elite wrestling style, then why can’t he get some love as well.

“The thing that upsets me the most about it is probably, they’re so picky on who they like and who they don’t, and what kind of style they are,” Dawson continued. “Everybody thinks that Islam Makhachev is the coolest thing since sliced bread, but he’s doing the same stuff I’m doing.

“But then when I go ride somebody out – literally in my last fight I had 13:45 of control time in a 15-minute fight. That’s insanity. Where, exactly, do you have to give up being dominant to be a bit more exciting? I don’t really know what these guys want to see. I’m just going to keep winning.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 244.

MMA Junkie Radio #3502: UFC 307 preview, Miesha Tate and Grant Dawson interviews

Check out the latest episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze.”


Monday’s episode of MMA Junkie Radio with “Gorgeous” George and “Goze” is here.

On Episode 3,502, the fellas welcome in a pair of UFC guests: former women’s bantamweight champion [autotag]Miesha Tat[/autotag]e and lightweight contender [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag]. The fellas also preview this weekend’s big UFC 307 card with two title fights taking place in Salt Lake City. Tune in!

Grant Dawson eyes Jalin Turner matchup after UFC 302: ‘He beat the guy that beat me’

Grant Dawson got back in the win column on the heels of a KO loss to Bobby Green, which was his first setback in more than seven years.

NEWARK, N.J. – [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] beat Joe Solecki with a unanimous decision Saturday on the preliminary card at UFC 302 at Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Take a look inside the fight with Dawson, who got back in the win column on the heels of a knockout loss to Bobby Green in October, which was his first setback in more than seven years.