I had my eyes on Dawson since his fight against Trizano. I thought he was really good, and he is 23-2 now (11-1-1 in UFC, 12-1-1 if you count the contenders series). No one cares about the guy.
It's similar to how Merab really didn't get much love around here. Colby to a similar degree before he started talking mad shit. But oh boy, Grant Dawson is as boring as they come. I never found Colby or Merab boring, though a lot of people seem to do. But oh boy this Dawson guy, his record is deceptive, he has finishes, but only against guys who can't handle his grappling game, and if they can, oh dear lord, probably one of the most boring fighters that UFC ever had if not THE most.
But he's good. I wanted him against Gamrot and Tsarukyan since a couple years ago, but getting ktfo by Bobby green might have slowed him down a bit up the ranks.
I rarely watch fighters to see them lose and Dawson is one of them. He sounds super likable though, I wish him the best, but his style I just can't handle.
Dawson is a very interesting case, because I think UFC tries not to sign guys like Dawson. As a matter of fact, Danny Sabatello in a way is a very similar fighter at BW.
Dawson was 11-1 before Dana's contender series with 8 subs and 3 tkos, with 100 percent finish rate.
Sabatello was 8-1 before Dana's conotender series with 4 subs and 3 kos, with 87.5 percent finish rate.
Dawson subbed his opponent in that series fight, and Sabatello decisioned his opponent. Who knows if it had more to do with the submission defense of their opponents? Both of their opponents were never subbed before and Sabatello's opponent is the one who continues to still fight, still never been subbed, and about to fight Thomas Almedia next.
It's ironic that Danny Sabatello will never get into UFC, though he likely beats a lot of their division. Also, I'd even argue that Sabatello faced guys and lost to guys who is better than Dawson fought in his entire UFC run: Stots and Magomed.
MMA is a cruel sport, and luck at times has something to do with it, and politics. Probably no one will remember Sabatello, and it looks like he might be done after the last fight which might have been a robbery, but having never been to UFC, almost as good as Dawson with a similar game, may have faced better opponents. If Dawson fought someone like Stots and Magomed in UFC, who knows if Dawson would still be undefeated? But I digress.
Dawson was able to face mostly non-wrestler guys in a division that used to be a shark tank of wrestlers you could say. Madsen was like 38 years old at lightweight division. Thing is, I feel like UFC tries not to sign guys like Dawson. But Dawson was finishing guys in a lesser league, so UFC likely couldn't foresee the terrifying force of boredom that they were signing. But because they don't sign wrestlers like they used to, Dawson is able to stay on a dominant run. Even Ferreira, he's a solid veteran, but he has a dogshit TDD.
What do you think about Dawson and who do you wanna see him fight next?
