Tag: Grant Dawson

Grant Dawson: Islam Makhachev ‘beatable,’ Charles Oliveira rematch ‘a much more competitive fight’

Grant Dawson expects a much better showing from Charles Oliveira in his UFC 294 title rematch with Islam Makhachev.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] expects a much better showing from [autotag]Charles Oliveira[/autotag] in his rematch with [autotag]Islam Makhachev[/autotag].

Lightweight champion Makhachev (24-1 MMA, 13-1 UFC) is scheduled to run things back with Oliveira (34-9 MMA, 22-9 UFC) in the UFC 294 headliner on Oct. 21 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on ESPN and ESPN+.

In their first fight at UFC 280, Makhachev dominated Oliveira en route to a second-round submission. Dawson, who faces Bobby Green in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 229 headliner at the UFC Apex, can’t imagine Oliveira doing worse in his second opportunity.

“Short answer: Islam wins again,” Dawson told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 229 media day. “Long answer, it’s a much more competitive fight this time. 99 percent of the nerves going into a fight is the unknown.

“I don’t know how strong this guy is, I don’t know how fast this guy is. Charles knows all of that. Also, Charles has nothing to lose. He’s going to go in against a guy that’s already beaten him. He can do nothing but look better against Islam in this next fight.”

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Dawson also points to Makhachev’s past fight as a big factor. Makhachev edged out featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski in a decision win at UFC 284 in February in a fight which ended with him in bottom position taking a barrage of punches.

“Islam has looked mortal,” Dawson continued. “Islam has looked like a real person against a 45’er. So, it kind of shows the division that yes, he’s really good. Yes, he’s the best in the world, but he is beatable, and there are guys out there that can beat him.

“And somebody like Charles Oliveira could get it done. Would you be shocked if you read that he got a guillotine win? He’s got one of the best guillotines in the game. So, I think Islam still wins, but it’s a much more competitive fight.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 229.

UFC Fight Night 229 pre-event facts: Grant Dawson’s streak ranks among elite company

The best facts about UFC Fight Night 229, where Grant Dawson brings an 8-0-1 octagon record into his main event vs. Bobby Green.

After a one-week hiatus, the UFC returns Saturday to kick off a loaded October schedule with UFC Fight Night 229, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and streams on ESPN+.

A lightweight bout serves as the main event of the card. [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] (20-1-1 MMA, 8-0-1 UFC) gets his first headlining opportunity when he takes on [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] (30-15-1 MMA, 11-9-1 UFC), who looks to build momentum off his submission win over Tony Ferguson.

For more on the numbers behind the card, check below for MMA Junkie’s pre-event facts about UFC Fight Night 229.

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Grant Dawson: UFC Fight Night 229 win over Bobby Green worth more than higher ranked fighters

Grant Dawson is putting a lot of stock on a potential win over Bobby Green in Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 229 headliner.

LAS VEGAS – [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] doesn’t mind fighting an unranked opponent, even though some believe it’s time he does.

Dawson (20-1-1 MMA, 8-0-1 UFC) returns to action this Saturday with his first octagon headliner at UFC Fight Night 229 against Bobby Green (30-14-1 MMA, 11-9-1 UFC). “King” is a veteran and a known name, but not one of the 15 fighters on the UFC’s official lightweight rankings.

This doesn’t bother Dawson. In fact, he’s actually glad to be fighting rather than some other names in the rankings.

“Matchups don’t make any sense to me anyway,” Dawson told MMA Junkie and other reporters at Wednesday’s UFC Fight Night 229 media day. “I’m not a really big, anything outside the champion is just suggestion. The rankings change very single day. If he beats me on Saturday night, then the matchup wasn’t that weird.

“I’m taking Bobby Green very seriously. I know how good he is, and I’m going to be honest with you, I think a win over Bobby Green does more for my career than a couple of wins over some other guys in the top 15. I just think he’s got that much of star power, he’s that big of a veteran, and I’m expecting the best Bobby Green on Saturday night.”

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Apart from getting someone with a name, Dawson will also get top billing on a card for the first time. This is a special moment for the American Top Team fighter, and he plans to utilize it properly.

“I wanted to be a UFC world champion from day one, and if I want to be a UFC world champion, I have to know that these kind of moments are going to happen,” Dawson said. “They’re great, and I’m so happy that they’re finally starting to get here, but this was supposed to happen. I’m supposed to be in a main event. I’m supposed to be doing this kind of thing. Now I get to show the UFC you can put me in a main event and I can perform, and I can go all five rounds if need be. This is everything I’ve ever worked for.”

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 229.

Video: ‘UFC Fight Night 229: Dawson vs. Green’ media day interviews

Before UFC Fight Night 229 on Saturday, watch as the main card athletes fighters speak to reporters at media day.

LAS VEGAS – UFC Fight Night 229, which takes place at the UFC Apex with a card that streams entirely on ESPN+, goes down Saturday.

Before fight night arrives, though, notable athletes from the main card spoke to reporters Wednesday at media day.

If you happened to miss any of the individual sessions on the live stream, check below for the archived videos of each media day.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 229.

UFC veterans in MMA action Oct. 4-7

Check out which veterans of the UFC are competing in combat sports across the globe this weekend.

This week, the UFC returns to action with UFC Fight Night 229 in Las Vegas.

Last week, the promotion took a week off after 17 consecutive weekends with a fight card. At the UFC Apex, lightweights [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] and [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] will collide in the main event.

Elsewhere, many other combat sports events are taking place that feature a number of familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.

Check out which veterans of the global MMA leader are competing in MMA Oct. 4-7.

Check out the names and details about their bouts below.

Upcoming event information from Tapology.

UFC free fight: Grant Dawson hands Mark Madsen his first professional loss

Watch Grant Dawson submit Mark Madsen in impressive fashion.

Most professional MMA fighters experience defeat at some point in their careers, and Mark Madsen was not an exception to that.

The Olympic silver medalist saw his perfect record come to an end when he fought [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] back in November 2022 at UFC Fight Night 214. Dawson submitted Madsen with a rear-naked choke in the third round of their lightweight clash. It was an impressive and dominant win by Dawson, who’s positioned himself as a contender in recent years.

You can watch Dawson’s dominant win in the video above.

Dawson (20-1-1 MMA, 8-0-1 UFC) returns to the octagon this Saturday in the main event of UFC Fight Night 229, which takes place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas. The event streams on ESPN+. He takes on veteran Bobby Green (30-14-1 MMA, 11-9-1 UFC), who’s coming off a submission win over Tony Ferguson.

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For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 229.

UFC veterans in MMA, boxing and bareknuckle boxing action Sept. 29-Oct. 1

Check out which veterans of the UFC are competing in combat sports across the globe this weekend.

This week, the UFC is idle after last Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 228.

After 17 consecutive weeks, the promotion takes a week off before returning to Las Vegas on Oct. 7 for UFC Fight Night 229, which features a lightweight matchup between [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] and [autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag].

Elsewhere, many other combat sports events are taking place that feature a number of familiar names that have competed under the UFC banner.

Check out which veterans of the global MMA leader are competing in MMA, kickboxing, muay Thai and bareknuckle boxing this week from Sept. 29-30.

Check out the names and details about their bouts below.

Upcoming event information from Tapology.

Ahead of first UFC headliner, ‘Apex predator’ Grant Dawson sees perks to competing without crowd

“I’m very comfortable at the UFC Apex, so it only makes sense that my first main event is going to be at the Apex.”

[autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] is happy to continue fighting at the UFC Apex.

Dawson (20-1-1 MMA, 8-0-1 UFC) meets Bobby Green (30-14-1 MMA, 11-9-1 UFC) in a lightweight main event at UFC Fight Night 229 on Oct. 7 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Dawson’s past five outings have come at the UFC Apex, and his first octagon headliner will also take place at the Apex.

“Honestly right now, I’m just considering myself this Apex predator because my last, like, five have all been in the Apex,” Dawson told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’ve come away with wins at the Apex, I’m very comfortable at the Apex, so it only makes sense that my first main event is going to be at the Apex.”

He experienced the incredible French crowd when he cornered his teammate Thiago Moises earlier this month in Paris, but Dawson said fighting at the Apex means he actually gets to hear his corner. So, he likes it and sees it as an advantage.

“It really doesn’t matter to me,” Dawson said. “If we’re going off of purely just would I rather fight at the Apex or in front of a crowd, I’d rather fight at the Apex. The crowd is great, I love it, and they definitely have their place. I’ll get more followers fighting in front of a crowd.

“I’ll get more hyped up fighting in front of a crowd, but when you’re fighting guys at this level, being able to hear your coach and being able to have them coach you through things is such a cheat code. I absolutely think it’s a huge advantage for me to fight at the Apex.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 229.

UFC’s Grant Dawson doesn’t see unranked Bobby Green as step back, eyes Dan Hooker with win

Bobby Green might be unranked, but Grant Dawson still views him as a dangerous opponent at UFC Fight Night 229.

[autotag]Bobby Green[/autotag] might be unranked, but [autotag]Grant Dawson[/autotag] still views him as a big fight.

Lightweights Dawson (20-1-1 MMA, 8-0-1 UFC) and Green (30-14-1 MMA, 11-9-1 UFC) will headline UFC Fight Night 228 on Oct. 7 at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.

Dawson is currently ranked in the UFC’s top 10 at 155 pounds but sees a win over fan favorite Green propelling him forward regardless. Green is coming off a submission win over Tony Ferguson at UFC 291, and Dawson thinks underestimating him would be a grave mistake.

“Rankings, to me, doesn’t make any difference,” Dawson told MMA Junkie Radio. “I’m not fighting backwards in this fight, I’m not fighting forward, I’m just fighting. That’s what it is. Islam Makhachev got a title shot off of beating Bobby Green, so anything can happen in this sport. Bobby Green, if I’m not on my game and if I don’t respect him like he deserves to be respected, I’m going to be looking up at him off of my back getting woken up by the referee.

“I know how dangerous he is. I know how much experience he has. I know what a big following he has. I am ready for a very, very competitive and a very, very strong fight. I don’t like it when people are like, ‘Oh, you’re fighting behind.’ There is no fighting behind. We’re just fighting, that’s it. The only spot that matters is who’s champion. That is really the only thing that matters.”

If Dawson gets past Green, he hopes to draw [autotag]Dan Hooker[/autotag] next. Hooker (22-12 MMA, 12-8 UFC) returned to the win column in July when he edged out Jalin Turner in a thrilling battle at UFC 290.

“After Bobby Green – obviously I’m only focused on Bobby Green, but after Bobby Green, we’re looking to fight against Dan Hooker,” Dawson said. “Assuming everything goes well, and I think that would be one of my breakout performances.”

Although a risky approach, Dawson thinks his willingness to fight anyone and remain active will eventually pay off and lead to his goal of becoming champion. Dawson is unbeaten in his past 12 fights.

“As long as I keep winning, I don’t think that they’ll be able to deny me much longer,” Dawson concluded. “I think that by the end of 2025, we will have a new champion and his name will be Grant Dawson.”

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC Fight Night 229.

Matchup Roundup: New UFC and Bellator fights announced in the past week (Sept. 4-10)

All the UFC and Bellator fight announcements that were first reported or confirmed by MMA Junkie in the past week.

MMA fight announcements are hard to follow. With so many outlets and channels available, it’s nearly impossible to organize.

But here at MMA Junkie, we’ve got your back.

Each week, we’ll compile all the newly surfaced fights in one spot. Every Monday, expect a feature listing everything you might have missed from the UFC or Bellator.

Here are the fight announcements that were broken or confirmed by MMA Junkie or officially announced by the promotions from Sept. 4-10.